Senate Will Not Probe Military Funds...... Senator Magnus Abe

CHAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Petroleum, Downstream, Senator Magnus Abe, has said the Senate would not probe funds released to the military to fight insurgency, in the country, especially, in the North East, to prevent bringing down the moral of the soldiers.

The Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, had called for a probe into how funds released to fight Boko Haram insurgence was spent, especially against the backdrop of continued onslaught of the sect, which had led to hundreds of deaths in recent weeks.

Fielding questions in an interview in Abuja, weekend, Senator Abe, who represents Rivers South East, said:   “The call on the National Assembly by the Nigerian Labour Congress to investigate funds appropriated to the military to fight insurgency is a two-edged sword.

“First of all, the military right now is involved in a sensitive operation to stabilize the country and provide adequate security.

“If we start any form of public probe and the military thinks we are only interested in the money and not the efforts at combating insurgency, that may become counterproductive. The troops would not feel supported.

“At this point, I will not advocate for the National Assembly to carry out that investigation but I will insist on a thorough, internal review of the financial dealings as regards the security votes, war on terror and the expenditure of the federal government on security.

“It is a very critical point and nobody should overlook it. Our troop should be well motivated with money, training and necessary equipment to prosecute the war against insurgency.”