The House of Representatives on Monday summoned the Chief of ArmyS taff, Lt.-General Attahiru Ibrahim and the Central Bank governor Godwin Emefiele to appear on Wednesday to clarify issues relating to the purchase of arms for the army.
This was after the duo failed to appear before an ad-hoc committee on arms and ammunition on March 12.
The committee was constituted to investigate the purchase of arms and ammunition by military and paramilitary purchase of military hardware.
The summons came following adoption of a motion by Bede Eke (PDP-Imo) at Monday on Monday.
The Ministry of Defence had earlier written to the committee to seek a later date to appear, and its request was granted.
Eke, in the motion, said that the summon became necessary following the refusal of the public officers to honour several invitations extended to them by the committee.
He said: “CBN has been a problem to this house and they cannot operate the way they are operating and this house will keep quiet because we approve their budget.
“What are we asking for? Come and tell us how much we have paid for the purchase of arms; we have given you the right to fair hearing.
“Are you hiding anything? We will not allow it, if there is something you are hiding because you are CBN, we will not allow it.
“People are killed every day, I want to move a motion because we do not have time; we come here every day, sit for hours and wait for a government agency.
“I move that we summon especially the COAS and CBN, enough is enough, let them be summoned, that is when they will know we are serious,” he said.
Eke said that the committee had invited the COAS four times and the CBN Governor five times, and they have refused to honour the invitations.
Chairman of the Committee, Olaide Akinremi (APC-Oyo) said that the committee expected the Ministries of Finance, Defence and Interior, as well as the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to also appear.
