Corruption has been said to be a major setback to Nigeria’s economic development.
This was highlighted recently with the outburst of former Niger Delta Militant, Adari Dokubo who directly alleged that the Military has contributed 95 per cent of oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
In this interview in Abuja, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), and ex-service man, Dr Garus Gololo, agreed that Nigeria may not have reasonable development and may continue to have record of poorest economy in the world if its leaders fail to address the issue of corruption in the military, which he said has become a clog in the wheel of progress in fighting the insurgency war.
He also spoke on the argument that President Bola Tinubu has done creditably well by looking away from the military in appointing the National Security Adviser (NSA. Excerpts:
You have served this country till retirement and have seen it all, haven worked in the East, West, North and Southern part of the country, what do you think has gone wrong in terms of security?
Back in the 80s, Nigeria used to be a unique place to be. And that is because some of us who have travelled and worked with many people, now disappointed of our politicians, who have politicized so many things to their own benefits. I remember as a young soldier, a regular combatant, I was at field artillery brigade, we moved about from Owerri to Onitsha, Elele to Port Harcourt, where we travel to meet friends without problems. But now it is a different story. But what I can say brought about these problems are the politicians whom out of their personal gains abandoned national interest for their own. What they do is using religion as a tool to divide Nigerians, but when we look inwardly, we should be able to know that religion is not our problem. That one is Muslim or Christian is not even our problem. Our problems are the individuals whom we entrusted with our country. We should be talking of those who merit certain positions. And not which region or religion belongs to.
For example, before the last national leadership election, I fought former Governor Yari to allow Senator Akpabio to come over. This is because I knew that Yari wouldn’t make a good Senate President. It is just like the accidental National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu, who also failed to deliver his wards and state to the party. Take a look at other people like Oshiomhole, who came as a Senator, he also delivered other two senators to the party. We shouldn’t also forget the likes of Akume who delivered the state to APC and that is why I was happy when he got the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF. I can tell you that I have never met Akpabio as a person. It was after his election that he called to thank me, when people told him about the fight I had with my own brother. I told them that we cannot go for Muslim-Muslim in all key positions. We cannot have President, Vice President, Senate President and Speaker as Muslims, no let’s decentralize the positions as far as doing something by merit is concerned. The reason I can tell you is that injustice and corruption gave birth to insecurity in Nigeria. Just take a look at Godwin Emefiele, the former CBN governor, whom the DSS allegedly recovered 16 bags of dollars from his residence in Abuja. We want President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to use his office to also probe former Minister of Transport Hon. Rotimi Ameachi, former Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, former Minister of Finance, Zainab Shamsuna Ahamed, former Personal Assistant to the President, Sabiu Tunde and Mamman Daura, who was the de facto president to give account of their stewardship. We can’t be here talking of insecurity while those who inflicted pains on Nigerians are working freely out there.
Talking of insecurity in Nigeria, can you possibly advise the new administration on how to get things done as a chieftain of APC and ex-service man?
I can tell you that since 1999, things have gone from bad to worse in terms of insecurity in Nigeria. And that is because the Generals have failed Nigerians as National Security Advisers and Ministers of Defense. Our problems started since 1990, since we have been appointing Generals. And if I may ask, what have they achieved in securing the country? We have had so many of them like Muntari, Aliyu Guzau, Sambo Dasuki, and just recently Monguno. And if you watch closely, you would understand that their office designation was called ‘IS’ in security profession and what does that mean? It commonly means Internal Security and if Nigerians must now, the job of Internal Security, is for the police, the DSS, or the NIA, who would be close to the people for optimum results. For example, during the Abacha regime, Guzuo was a DSS officer, before his appointment, but he delivered because he knows the job of intelligence. Before 12:00 p.m, mid day, Abacha had already gotten the report on the pulse of the nation, coming from all the 774 local governments and again in security we also have what is known as share luck, if you don’t have this you won’t succeed. What this also means is that as a man who is in charge of national security, you must have able and trusted men on ground at every nook and cranny who give you report on how the nation breaths at every second. These reports are acted upon to be proactive and police or soldiers are deployed before hand and against any occurrence, but today, Chief of Army Staff deploys soldiers to go and blow siren after the criminals had caused damage and had gone away. And that is why I can tell you that Nigeria cannot win the war against insurgency the way we are going about and I have my reasons. The reason is that things went wrong in the area of fighting insurgency, since General Buratai was appointed Chief of Army Staff, those boys deployed to Borno to fight insurgents have been denied their allowances and also what we call RC. Then how do you expect Nigerian soldiers to fight under that condition? Let me also remind you of one General Olaniyi, who only complained that the boys lacked ammunition to fight Boko Haram, he was court marshaled by the then Army Chief of Staff, demoted and dismissed. There is another one in Sokoto, we were together in Yugoslavia, we were also together in Liberia, a good combatant who did well in this country, he was court marshaled, demoted and dismissed by General Buratai because he spoke out.
We also have another one presently ongoing, his name is U.S Mohammed from Niger State, who is in charge of army housing. He is presently undergoing trials over obscured flimsy issues. And I know that they will soon demote him, jail or dismiss him from service. But my question is that the man the army is court marshaling was appointed by Buratai, so why suffering the man who more or less was an errand boy and allow his Oga to go free? Of course, we all know that in the military, we don’t disobey the commands of superior officers. So, how could any have expected him to be disobedient to the Chief of Army Staff. The Federal Government or the Army should invite Buratai if they really want to do justice to the findings regarding the Army housing project. So, as ex-service man, I can tell you that General Buratai’s regime as the Chief of Army Staff has a record of the worst leadership and most corrupt. How I wish you should have the opportunity of talking with some of the soldiers in the barracks whose allowances were not given to them. Maybe I have to arrange for one soon and you will be amazed to hear some of their ordeals while fighting insurgency in Borno State. How can you withhold soldiers allowances, deny them ammunition to fight and you claim that morale is high, which morale are you talking about? So, that was my advice to Mr President, not to just appoint an Army General who is not patriotic. I advised him to appoint a Nigerian from other security agencies who is patriotic and ready to achieve results. I would have loved it if the Chief of Defense is appointed from the Navy. This is because I suggested that to him, yes because the Navy is also the military. Who told you that a Navy officer cannot be Chief of Defense Staff. The last time a non-Army was made Chief of Defense, was during the time of Air Vice Marshall Bade, whom we saw performed well and after that, they returned it back to the Army again to Olanishakin; why should that be? I advocated that they should give to others like Navy and Air Force. If you doubt what I am saying, then go into the barracks, take your time to visit each of the buildings, you would observe the difference between the Navy, the Air Force and Army. The difference is clear and during those days of General Buratai, the best among the Service Chiefs was Air Vice Marshall Sadiq. Every soldier knows what he did and how he transformed lives of men and officers of Nigerian Air Force. We had Buratai who was staying at Mararaba close to Abuja immediately he was appointed, the allegation of him owning a house in Dubai emerged which he has not denied till today. In case it’s true, where did he get that kind of money and the same Buratai, was given an Ambassadorial position to justify the job he was bought to do. The same Buratai is also lobbying to become a minister, possibly of defense, which I had told Tinubu when I met with him never to give his consent to. When I visited Mr President, I saw Buratai seated and waiting to see him. I told him that such person is not good for ministerial appointment counting from his past records. I told him that his only good to be in Kuje Prison.
Having said that, what exactly do you think should be the solutions in ending insurgency?
Do you know how we would start in getting it right? The arms purchase deal, must be probed by Tinubu administration and failure to do this, we may not get it right. Because this is where we got it wrong and why the rank and file suffer in crossfire. When we sent a soldier to fight with one magazine and when it finishes then the gun turns to stick. I suggested to him to set up an investigative committee to invite all these former military chiefs who were there during arms purchase to fight Boko Haram. Let there be a neutral committee to unravel how the money was spent and what ammunition was bought. Can we talk of the purchase of Tukano jet and the helicopters that were bought by Sadiq? It was under him that the Air Force first established special forces which were not there before. How else can we aggregate performance? He put up the special forces, to ensure that special jobs of protecting the natives were assured during the air raids of the forests. If not, it was just what we used to see, bombs landing discriminately with out targets and such operations were carried out by the Army. As an ex-service man, I was in Yugoslavia, I was in Monrovia, I was in Sierra Leon, I was in Sudan. And when we withdrew from Yugoslavia, 10 countries came to replace us because the vacuum we left was so strategic. We are just one battalion and when we left, 10 countries came to replace us. That means that Nigeria as at that time was having the best Army and after that era and from General Abacha, downwards to General Ishaya Bamayi to Olanishakin till date, we have missed target making the Army losing focus from being a professional Army to politicized Army. So since that time, anytime government wants to carry out a function, General Minima, Ihejirika and Buratai, would first of all be cautioned against the situation because they were all politicians. I want the new administration to probe the arms purchase in Nigeria. What kind of ammunition was bought and when was it used?
Can you throw more light on this disparity in services within the military, which has been alleged to be contributory to the lukewarm altitude in the Army?
Let me tell you one thing that Nigerians do not know. If you take a look at an Army officer and a Navy officer or Air Force, the difference is clear. It is appalling that the Nigerian Army treats its rank and file with negativity and when I remember how other countries respect their army officers I feel bad. I remember how the President of Chad Republic visited families of deceased officers and made presentation of cheques. But our own former president never did such. Neither did the former Defense Minister, Monguno visited any family. Let’s assume you are the one affected, how would you feel? Honestly, morale would be lower and to make matter worse, families of the just buried men are ejected from the barracks without prior notice. That is the condition of work in Nigerian Army. So, if such treatment was meted to you, would you be happy to sacrifice your life for such country? So, when people say we are corrupt, they are correct and such is endemic in the police and the army and I am happy to say this. And I repeat that I would like President Tinubu to set up a panel of inquiry over what is going on in the military and you would be amazed. Like I said before, the Air Force and Navy have different model of operations. If you take a look at a Flight Sergeant in the Air Force and Staff Sergeant both are rank equivalent, the salary is quite different. That of Flight Sergeant in the Air Force is far better. So, everything is wrong in the Army, which of course, performs groundwork. Simply, I can say that we have a vehicle, but there is no driver to move it.
Going forward, as an ex-General, what technical solutions would you prefer to end this corruption and disparity in the Military?
My answers are on the surface, my technical advice to President Tinubu is he must have this political will to set up a committee of experts to visit all the barracks across the country to see for themselves. They are also to visit all Nigerian military armory to determine what was bought, when and for what purpose. Without this, we may not understand to what level former President Buhari corrupted and misled this country. I would also suggest that the president should exercise his power as the Commander-in-Chief to select lower ranked officers from Staff Sergeant and Lance Corporal in a meeting where he will listen to all of them and have firsthand information and on how to act. I think that by so doing, the President would uncover the mystery behind the Army Housing Estate, which one Major General is undergoing trial for a fraud that was not committed by him. I think the president would also find out how Army Generals converted money meant for the Army Housing Estate to build personal estates and rented them out to the same soldiers. The question is, where is the Nigerian Army transit camp, where newly posted officers are lodged for at least two months before settling down? The Navy has it, the Air Force has it, but that of the Army has become individual business. So, if the president wishes to put an end to insecurity, he should start by addressing the challenges of welfare and inequality in the military and police. Let me surprise you again, when I was in Monguno in Borno State, I visited Maiduguri and I discovered that a whole battalion has only one operational vehicle and I went to Congo recently and I discovered that a unit commander, which is the rank of corporal, has an operational vehicle attached to him alone, while in Nigeria the entire battalion has only one while fighting insurgency, what a country. This one vehicle is used to get food, get water and other sundry needs and if you must know, it is only the commander that drives in such vehicle. Sometimes when the enemies attack, there was nothing to go after them. So, how do we expect these boys to fight and win? Well, the president must know that there is nothing mechanized in the Nigerian Army. Come to talk of it what do we mean when we say an Army is mechanized? It means that we have grown above manual fighting equipment to scientific means. This means that you advance against the enemies using modern war equipment like tanks. That is what is used nowadays. I was in Guinea Conakry, anywhere you see their soldiers, all of them are advancing, sitting in their tanks. You hardly spot any of them walking with his legs towards an advancing enemy. And their soldiers have about four magazines for a backup, as well as explosive devices. But the Nigerian Army gives only two magazines and when a soldier exhausts such, then the gun becomes stick and eventually such soldier would be captured. But I am confident that the president would do something drastic. Just take a look at the changes he made and those undergoing trials now. The CBN governor and the money redesign saga. The EFCC man and I think that the choice of Nuhu Ribadu as NSA and other Service Chiefs newly appointed, he would make some changes. I am also optimistic that the issue of education would be soon visited and addressed. The issue of wrong appointment in TETfund has become a slap on the face of Nigerians, where the just retired permanent secretary in the ministry was again reappointed as if there are no other capable new hands in Nigeria. I thing that TETfund should have a professional from the university who can liaise with his or her colleagues to solve ASUU problems anytime it comes up. The mistake of Buhari administration has become too much a burden to Nigeria and I see that President Tinubu has come with a different ideology to rescue this country.
Recently, former Niger Delta militant Asari Dokubo, was at the Villa where he publicly alleged that the military has caused 95 per cent of illegal oil bunkering in the area?
Well, the only fault I found in Asari’s revelation was the 95 per cent rate of involvement of the military. Aside that I’m convinced that there is no way the military would not be involved in the oil bunkering. Like I had told you before, there is a high rate of corruption in the military. So, they can not deny it because I know what goes on in Bonny Island, I served in Warri and Port Harcourt. I don’t agree of the 95 per cent, but the fact is that in any organization there are bad eggs and good ones. Those bad ones should be sorted out, try them and jail them. I don’t recommend dismissal because it is an avenue to breed criminals. These are well-trained military men who if not engaged in anything would devise means of living through illegal use of firearms. So, it is better to retire such persons and give them their benefits.
Let’s look at the student loan as announced by the president. What is your take?
Yes, the student loan is good, but I have my doubt that such may be difficult in Nigeria. I just hope they have weighed all the options. More especially on the repayment means. I would suggest that parents should be guarantors for their children and just in case the child were not able to repay all the loans back, then the authorities will withhold the original certificate and that is the standard practice all over the world. So, if they fail to look into it I am sure so many people would be disenfranchised because no one wishes to be in jail after school. Because in Nigeria here, there is no hope for immediate employment after school. I am also suggesting that Nigeria should use that money meant for student loans to build industry where they would work after school.
(SUN)
