The Nigerian House of Representatives Committee on Navy has requested an explanation from the Nigerian Navy regarding its acquisition of foreign war vessels without the committee’s knowledge.
Chairman Yusuf Gagdi expressed concerns about the lack of transparency in the Navy’s spending and handling of personnel matters.
“We came for an oversight function, you all know every committee has that Constitutional power. So we came to the Navy to ask questions on taxpayers’ money and how monies appropriated to the Navy are being spent,” Gagdi stated.
He further emphasized, “We’ve asked them, but we are generally uncomfortable with them, so we’ve said that we are going to go on oversight visit, to perform a deep-rooted oversight to know how resources are being applied and how disciplinary matters are being handled by the Navy.”
The committee also raised concerns about the treatment of junior officers by senior officers, particularly in the case of Seaman Haruna Abbas. Abbas was dismissed after firing 15 rounds of bullets during an attempted arrest for a military offense. His wife alleged that he was detained for six years without trial, prompting an investigation by the Defence headquarters.
Gagdi criticized the Navy’s handling of the case, stating, “How the junior officers are being treated by the senior officers, including the famous case of Seaman Haruna, how he was suddenly dismissed. It is our responsibility on behalf of the Nigerian people to ask questions on these pertinent issues.”
The investigation revealed that Abbas pleaded guilty to the charges during a court martial comprising officers from the Army, Navy, and Airforce.
The committee plans to conduct a thorough oversight visit to assess the Navy’s resource management and disciplinary procedures. Gagdi emphasized, “We cannot say anything now until we have gone to see those projects, the platforms that are being built, then we can come back here, and have another interaction.”
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This development comes after the Nigerian Navy acquired new platforms to combat illegal activities within its territorial waters and the Gulf of Guinea. The Ministry of Defence commended the Navy’s efforts, stating that the new platforms would enhance its dominance and influence in the region.