Boko Haram, Jonathan and the corruption war
For quite sometime, ex-president Goodluck Jonathan has been seen as the one who did nothing to protect Nigerians from Boko Haram insurgents, while in power. However, the video emerged after the death of Lt.-Col. Mohammed Abu Ali shows the late officer operated an armoured T-72 vehicle purchased by the Jonathan administration in 2014, early 2015.
Proponents of the new government are of the opinion that the nation under Goodluck Jonathan was a very porous country, where the security of lives and property were of no priority.
It is said that rather than buy weapons for the war against Boko Haram, the Goodluck Jonathan-led administration lavished the wealth generated from oil and other sources of revenue, a situation which is credited for the current recession being experienced in Nigeria today.
The case against Jonathan and Dasuki
On getting into power, President Muhammadu Buhari fired all the then serving chiefs including the Colonel Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser (NSA).
The embattled ex-NSA Sambo Dasuki has for sometime now been facing charges of treason and financial misappropriation. According to the charges leveled against the former NSA, monies that were meant for the procurement of weapons to strengthen the Nigerian army against Boko Haram, were squandered and shared among key players within the then PDP-led government.
Dasuki was arrested on December 1, 2015, by Nigeria's State Security Service (SSS) for allegedly stealing $2.1 billion of funds intended for procurement of weapons. He was further accused of awarding phantom contracts to buy 12 helicopters, four fighter jets, and ammunition meant for the Nigeria's military campaign against the Boko Haram insurgents in the north-east.
Claims and counter-claims
There have been many claims and counter-claims over the place of Jonathan in the war which has spanned for about 7-years. About a year ago, Dasuki released images of sophisticated weapons attained by ex-president Goodluck Jonathan to fight the Boko Haram insurgency.
Dasuki made a case for the Jonathan administration, going deep to reveal that some of the weapons being used to fight the Jihadists under Buhari, were purchased while Jonathan was in power.
There were reports that weapons were being bought even from Czech Republic, and that the United States of America would supply Nigeria weapons to properly wage the war against the Islamists; a deal which was later put on hold after the US spotted some irregularities in the operations of the Nigerian army.
A strong case for Jonathan
Many have asked that Jonathan be probed for his alleged role in the biggest fraud case in Nigeria (Dasukigate). It is their claim that Dsuki could not have acted on his own, without the orders from Goodluck Jonathan.
The antigraft agencies have been called on to look further into the case against Dasuki, as to really obtain the truth regarding the role of the then commander-in-chief of the Nigerian armed forces.
READ ALSO: Dasuki releases images of weapons bought by Goodluck Jonathan
However, if video facts are anything to go by, then there might still be some redemption for Jonathan regarding his war against Boko Haram. The latest videos making the rounds tend to corroborate the claims of Dasuki, as they show very heavy and sophisticated weapons allegedly acquired under Jonathan for the war against Boko Haram.
The weapons were allegedly bought by the Jonathan administration shortly before the 2015 election and being used by the military in its operation to recapture Boko Haram held territories in the north-east Nigeria.
A couple of the weapons seen in the video seem to be in good condition, and they add bounce to the claim that Jonathan indeed was ready to fight the insurgents and made great efforts which has worked in Nigeria's favour in this present dispensation.
Who do we believe?
Like Thomas though, many Nigerians will continue to doubt that Jonathan's administration did anything to aid the war against Boko Haram, they would give all the credit to the Buhari-led administration under whose guidance Nigeria has really fought the insurgents beyond re-organization.
There are some others though who believe that Goodluck Jonathan deserves apologies from the current government and Nigerians who disbelieved his efforts in the battle for the northeast.
READ ALSO: Nigeria purchases Czech weapons to fight Boko Haram
Below are some very interesting reactions from Nigerians on social media.
Samuel Adedeji said: "The faithful Nigerians know that Jonathan truly purchased arms for military but the enemies denied it. God is the true judge."
Ekundayo Yomi was of the opinion that "everyone that shares the money meant for by weapons to fight Boko Haram should have all their properties forfeited, passports confiscated, and send to jail for 15 years each without parole."
Blessed Uci said: "T-72 Tank being transported by a privately owned carrier trailer is a great fiasco to Nigeria. It shows how seriously they are in the fight against the terror group. GMB hasn't bought a bullet, yet they maintain GEJ never bought any weapon."
Emeka Okonkwo said: "Nigerian government should quickly upgrade there weapons because the war equipment showed on this video is nearly hundred years old,for better combats you need better weapons."
READ ALSO: Heavy armoured machines to pave victory in the north-east
Ozioma Kiens said: "APC are liars thought they said GEJ did not buy weapons this was in 2015 boko haram plus recession hmmmm APC come and do and go ohhhhhh"
Paul Omasy Omamegbe said: "But this weapon was and and others bought by GEJ in 2015 that helped to liberate all occupied villages in the North East. Why does Buhari repeatedly deny this fact. This tank is one example of Buhari's lies to Nigerians."
Samuel Fernando asked a question saying: "Who bought those materials, I thought last govt bought nothing according to APC?"
Source: Legit.ng
