The immediate past National Security Adviser,
Col. Sambo Dasuki, (retd), has given a hint that some arms and ammunition
procured by the Jonathan administration had not arrived the country.
The former NSA said that some elements whose
identities he did not disclose were frustrating the nation’s efforts to get the
critically needed equipment to fight the Boko Haram insurgency.
According to Dasuki, the government had to issue
queries to some arms suppliers for the delay in the supply of the items paid
for by the government.
Dasuki was quoted as having made the comment in
an interview with PR Nigeria, an Abuja based Media Consultancy outfit for the
Nigerian military and security agencies.
He was also quoted as having said that some of the
equipment procured by the Jonathan administration would arrive in the country
very soon.
“It was unfortunate that some elements are
frustrating the efforts. We even had to query some suppliers for the delay in
the delivery of arms and ammunitions,” Dasuki was quoted as saying.
Dasuki said that the previous administration
acquired a lot of highly sophisticated equipment to fight and reclaim 22 local
government areas from the insurgents after years of frustration by Western
countries.
It was stated that the items procured included
“Alpha jets, Armoured Personnel Carriers, MRAP vehicles, advanced artillery
pieces, assorted arms and ammunition, highly sophisticated surveillance drones,
T72 and carried out modification of F7 supersonic jet fighters.”
The items also include armoured tanks with
comprehensive NBC protection system, Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles
with capacity to withstand explosions, Improvised Explosive Devices and
assorted armoured personnel carriers with effective protective system against
small arms fire and shrapnel.
He said that the equipment were effectively
utilised to recover 22 local government areas then under Boko Haram control and
prevent the Boko Haram from disrupting the 2015 general election.
Dasuki was also quoted as having said that the
security forces were able to use the equipment to prevent the leader of the
sect, Abubakar Shekau, from releasing videos of threats against the country.
“We are glad that we also provided assorted
Armoured Personnel Carriers to transport troops to the battlefield. They were
armed for self defence and to provide protection from attacks from shrapnel and
small arms fire.
“All these were acquired in the last one year
after years of frustration by Western powers who denied us of the equipment and
sabotaged our efforts to acquire same from other sources which are reasons for
some delay in delivery,” he added.
Source:punchng
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