By Deborah Hassan
365Daily– $15 billion funds earmarked for procurement of arms have been diverted by highly placed Nigerians and top military officials in the last 20 years, a report by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has reveaed.
The report stated that the inability of successive governments to address corruption in the security sector enabled violent groups like Boko Haram to thrive.
It also noted that no individual, body or corporation had been convicted in Nigeria for funding terrorism since insurgency started in 2009, adding that despite promises by the Buhari administration to expose sponsors of terrorism, the situation remains the same.
The report reads in part: “Successive presidents’ failure to rein in security sector corruption is a highly consequential anti-corruption failure. It has led to widespread insecurity, verging on instability, and has weakened Nigerian counter-terrorism capacity, allowing groups like Boko Haram to smoulder.
“Over the last decade, political and security elite have monetised the conflicts and the resulting humanitarian crises.
“During the same period, military leaders allegedly stole as much as $15bn through fraudulent arms procurement deals; thanks to lax legislative oversight, excessive secrecy and the fact that security spending is largely exempt from due process rules designed to prevent corruption.
“No individual, body or corporation had been convicted in Nigeria for funding terrorism since the insurgency started in 2009 despite promises by the current administration to expose those behind sponsorship of criminals,” the report added.