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EFCC grills ex-Army chief Minimah over arms deals
On: June 21, 2017
Gen. defends $1.89b spent on equipment
Lawyers decry Senate’s plot against Magu
FOR hours yesterday, detectives grilled former Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Tobiah Jacob Minimah over a multi-billion naira arms procurement during his tenure.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is probing the over $1,891,809,299.1 deal because, according to sources, it did not follow the public procurement law.
Former Minister of Aviation Senator Stella Oduah is expected to appear before the commission today to answer to petitions against her.
But there were indications last night that the Senate may pass a resolution banning suspects from appearing before EFCC until its Acting Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, steps aside.
Legal experts contacted by The Nation, however, dismissed the Senate’s move, saying resolutions do not have force of law.
To embark on the move, they said, would be an exercise in futility.
According to them, “resolutions are not laws; they are mere advice”.
They added that an agency could not be stopped from doing its job because of the fear of some people.
What they (senators) are planning to do is unconstitutional. It has no backing in law. They should concentrate on law making and not embark on a witch-hunt,”the lawyers said.
The Senate rejected Magu’s nomination twice based on security reports by the Department of State Service (DSS).
It was learnt that the plot to stop high-profile suspects from reporting to EFCC was hatched before the Senate went on recess last Thursday.
Minimah, it was learnt, was asked questions on the procedure for such contracts in the army.
It was discovered that a company, which was registered on November 17, 2014, got a $125,179,299.10million contract on the same day.
Besides Minimah, 53 others, including another former Chief of Army Staff, 16 other retired and serving Army officers, 12 serving and retired public officers and 24 Chief Executive Officers of companies involved in the deal would also be quizzed.
Minimah was Chief of Army Staff between January 16, 2014 and July 13, 2015.
Clad in blue jeans and short sleeve shirt, Minimah looked calm and warm after the session at about 4.55pm. |
