Nigerians are divided over whether former President Goodluck Jonathan should be quizzed over the controversial $2.1bn funds meant for procurement of arms.
In a poll conducted by News24 Nigeria, 41 percent of the voters kicked against probing the former president while 39 percent welcome the probe.
There has been calls from different quarters for the probe of the former president over the controversial arms deal diverted by the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
Dasuki and some other public figures are currently being tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)over the role they played in the diversion of the funds meant to procure arms to fight insurgence in the North East.
The anti-graft agency had in the charge it filed before an Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama, alleged that Dasuki connived with the erstwhile Director of Finance in the Office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu and a former Executive Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa, and diverted public funds to the tune of N32billion.
Another public figure on trial is the spokesman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Olisa Metuh.
Metuh was released from prison after 13 days of remand in custody with respect to the charges of fraudulent receipt of N400m from the Office of the National Security Adviser in 2014 and money laundering involving separate $2m cash transaction.
The former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh was also detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with the $2.1 billion arms scandal.
As per information from the EFCC, contracts totalling $930 500 690.00 were awarded by the Air Force while Badeh was chief of defence staff.
The contracts are believed to be part of the $2.1 billion that was the control of Sambo Dasuki as the head of the Office of the National Security Advisor.
Badeh is also to be interrogated around the award of contracts beyond authorised thresholds, absence of contract agreements, the non-specification of procurement costs, transfer of public funds for unidentified purposes and general non-adherence with provisions of the Public Procurement Act.
– News 24