Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), has clarified that the $1 billion approved for defence procurement during his tenure was released directly to the Ministry of Defence and never passed through his hands or the accounts of the Nigerian Army.
​Speaking on Monday, October 12, 2026, at 11:00 AM, during a national security conference hosted at the Army Resource Centre in Abuja, Buratai faulted the Ministry of Defence for failing to clarify the disbursement details when controversy first erupted over the funds.
​”$1 billion arms procurement controversy festered because the institution that managed the funds, the Ministry of Defence, remained silent while Service Chiefs absorbed public criticism,” Buratai stated during his address. “The funds were approved by the National Economic Council (NEC) and disbursed directly to the ministry for procurement processes.”
​To prevent future misunderstandings regarding defense spending, Buratai called for structural reforms in military financial management.
He recommended a public-facing database publishing contract general info, contracting entities, and delivery timelines within security limits and Public updates summarising court-martial outcomes involving alleged human rights violations or operational misconduct.
​Also addressing the gathering, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, emphasized the media’s vital role in keeping government accountable while avoiding unverified reports that cause public panic.
​”Journalists must keep asking difficult questions and hold institutions accountable, while respecting legitimate operational sensitivities,” Minister Idris noted. He added that security policies under the administration must translate into safer roads, protection for farming communities, and secured environments for schooling across the nation.
