Weapons fund: NSA, Buhari government lying about ‘missing’ $1 billion — Wike

Rivers state governor Nyesome Wike has unloaded on the Muhammadu Buhari administration for, as he suggested, being shady while claiming to fight corruption.

During a meeting with the Board of Editors of Independent Newspapers Limited on Thursday, Wike singled out national security adviser (NSA) Babagana Monguno for “deceitfully” claiming he was misquoted regarding the whereabouts of the $1 billion dollars withdrawn from the excess crude account (ECA) to purchase weapons for the military.

“The NSA says the $1 billion dollars they took from our ECA without even paying us our 13 percent derivation is gone,” Wike said.

“They said they’ve not seen the weapons.

“But this one the NSA is saying that they misquoted him, I tell you, nobody is misquoting anything. We are aware that there was no weapon.

“Even the Chief of Army Staff said he didn’t collect money. So, where did the money go to?

“This is a government fighting corruption and the press is not talking,” Wike said.

The Rivers governor also criticised the Buhari government for politicising insecurity, adding that this is why banditry may last longer than necessary.

“They didn’t send special forces to Rivers as they’re sending to other states now,” Wike complained.

“They refused to support me because they didn’t want the state to be governable.

“Crime knows no boundary. It can be you tomorrow. If they had brought out zeal to fight crime, with seriousness, and collaboration irrespective of the party you belong to, good result will be achieved.

“Banditry will never end since they’ve politicised the issue of security. I told them don’t politicise issues of security. They’re paying the price. Whatever you sow, you will reap. If you sow peace you’ll reap peace, if you sow trouble, trouble will always be with you.”

The governor also challenged the media to stop being timid and start telling Nigerians what is going on with their country.

“As regards this country, we are where we are because of you (journalists),” Wike said.

“In 2014, you were bought over to pull down the government of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“I had told Trade Union Congress (TUC) the other day and asked then where are you that you see things in Nigeria getting worse; insecurity, increase in price of everything and you say nothing.

“Now, you’ll not pull down Nigeria again because it is not a minority man that is in power.

Where is the voice of the people? Where is the voice of the journalists? Have your mouth be sealed up, dumped and you can’t talk again?

“Is it because you’ve seen power greater than you? When Jonathan was in power, he respected fundamental human rights. He allowed freedom of speech.

“Nobody would be arrested but now, you can’t talk because of fear that you’ll be arrested. That’s the situation we found ourselves. So, when I see journalists these days, I just shy. But you owe this country a lot.”