$9.3m: NSA ought to have resigned, says CSO

By Bode Olagoke
Abuja

Coalition of Civil Society organisations has said that if it were in normal clime, the Nigerian National Security Adviser ought to have resigned his appointment, be sacked or be suspended to enable proper investigations into the alleged $9.3 million cash for arms deal.
The group therefore,  clamoured for an immediate establishment of an independent judicial commission of enquiry headed by a retired Supreme Court Justice, sitting in the open to investigate the circumstances surrounding the matter and recommend appropriate punishment for the indicted persons.
Addressing a press conference, organised by the ‘Say No Campaign Organization,’ at weekend in Abuja, on the state of the nation, the co-convener, Ezenwa Nwagwu, said nothing was adding up in the scramble to defend and explain “this bizarre act of official condoned money laundering,”
While insisting that the matter must not be swept under the carpet, Ezenwa wondered, “why the South African authorities were unaware of this transaction? Why was it necessary to carry cash? Why was the Federal Ministry of Finance unaware of such a transaction? Who authorised the transaction? Was the money appropriated for? Or was it simply withdrawn as usual from the Excess Crude Account without any recourse to subject the process to accountability and transparency mechanism?”
On the N4, 000 online Call Up fee imposed by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), another Co-convener Jaye Gaskia, described itas an outright callous grand design to steal from impoverished young Nigerians who are being called upon to serve the country.
He noted that a sensitive leadership should have increased the stipends and increased the conditions of service for the Corps members rather plan to extort them.
Also reacting to the recent arrest and detainment of AIT Journalist, Amaechi Anakwe, on the orders of the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG), Joseph Mbu, another activist Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said it was an abuse of power on the part of security agencies whose sole responsibility is to protect its citizens.