TI Report: A New Plan to Starve Nigerian  Military of Weapons to Fight Terrorism, Says Group 

By Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has alleged that  the Transparency International (TI) report released last week was another ploy by the international community to starve the Nigerian military of weapons to fight the Book Haram terrorists. 

The Transparency organisation had last week released a report that the Nigerian defence and security sector is steeped in corruption, revealing that over N4.6 trillion ($15 billion) allocated to the sector in fiver years was either embezzled or unaccounted for.

TI also revealed that the graft in the sector has undermined the war against insurgency in the North-east‎.

Apparently unsatisfied with the report, the Executive Secretary of the group, Isaac, while addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja, condemned in the strongest term the report, saying it lacked any sense of credibility‎.

He said TI once recognised as a global powerhouse in the global war against corruption has now descended so low by allowing low heads and those with ‘political interests’ to doctor its reports.

According to him, “the true intent of that report is to be seen in its recommendation for arms sales to Nigeria to be blocked. The other demands that appear punitive, like travel ban are icing meant to disguise the call for ban on weapon sales.”

Continuing, Isaac added;”We therefore want Nigerians to be on alert. Nigerians must recognise that a new plot to destabilise Nigeria has been launched and is being driven by TI as opposed to Amnesty International that we all know. 

 “The plan involves starving the military of the needed equipment to fight the terrorists while creating other conditions that will allow Boko Haram bring back its fighters that are on the run while recruiting new ones. The same set of people that helped Amnesty International fabricate crooked reports are working on this project with Transparency International.

“The group is banking on its credential in anti-corruption field as something that will give Nigerians a false sense of assurance that it cannot be deployed for subversive activities that it is presently engaged in. This is why we are encouraging Nigerians to ask TI and its Nigerians runners questions,” he added.