Former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.) said the $1 billion approved for defence procurement during his tenure was released to the Ministry of Defence and never passed through his hands or the accounts of the Nigerian Army, Navy or Air Force.
Speaking at the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria conference in Abuja on Monday, Buratai described allegations that the funds were diverted for electoral purposes as “political and malicious.” He said the claims first surfaced during the 2019 election period and were publicly refuted by the Federal Government at the time.
“The $1 billion was approved by the National Economic Council for defence procurement. Not a single dollar of that fund passed through my hands or through the accounts of the Nigerian Army, Navy or Air Force. The funds were released to the Ministry of Defence, and the entire procurement process was handled by that ministry,” he said.
Buratai criticised the Ministry of Defence for remaining silent on how the funds were disbursed and how contracts were awarded, saying the lack of a clear public account left service chiefs to absorb the blame.
“Accountability must be properly located. The Ministry of Defence must own procurement records. The $1 billion controversy festered because the institution that managed the funds remained silent while service chiefs absorbed criticism,” he said.
To improve transparency, Buratai proposed establishing a Defence Procurement Transparency Portal to publish, within national security limits, broad categories of contracts awarded, contracting entities and delivery timelines. He also recommended quarterly accountability bulletins summarising court-martial outcomes related to human rights violations and operational conduct, provided such publications do not compromise the rights of accused personnel or ongoing operations.
On allegations of human rights abuses by security forces, Buratai said credible claims should be investigated and, where substantiated, prosecuted. “The military is not above the law,” he said, adding that the armed forces must demonstrate that their disciplinary processes are credible and transparent.
Improved communication by the military and the Ministry of Defence, he said, would help ensure media reports reflect the full context of security operations.
Earlier at the conference, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris — represented by the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Jibrin Ndace — said military force alone cannot resolve Nigeria’s security challenges. He urged better intelligence, modern technology and stronger collaboration among security agencies and communities.
“This conference’s theme is particularly relevant because today’s security threats cannot be addressed by force alone,” Idris said. “Military operations remain necessary, but they must be supported by reliable intelligence, modern technology, effective coordination among security agencies and cooperation with communities.”
Idris said President Bola Tinubu had in August 2026 directed the preparation of a comprehensive National Threat Assessment and a rolling five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan to improve coordination and guide resource deployment. He also announced that the President had approved salary increases of between 30 and 80 per cent for Armed Forces personnel, effective September 2026, calling the move recognition of their sacrifices.
On the role of the media, Idris urged accurate reporting and responsible verification to help the public understand security developments and guard against rumours that could undermine operations, while stressing that scrutiny of government and security agencies must continue.
Solomon Odeniyi is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with more than six years’ experience covering the judiciary, military, police and anti‑corruption beats.
