Former President Goodluck Jonathan, says he did not grant Senator Ibikunle Amosun, immediate past governor of Ogun State, approval to purchase and stockpile arms and ammunition, Igbere TV reports.
Amsoun had come under heavy criticism following a report that he built an armoury in government house during his time as governor.
Igbere TV reports that the former governor had accused Goodluck Jonathan of granting him approval to purchase and stockpile such weapons in government house.
Speaking on Thursday through his Spokesperson, the former president was quoted as saying: “I am not aware of any approval (to build an armoury to stockpile weapons).”
Similarly, a former Director at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), who reportedly worked closely with Sambo Dasuki during Jonathan’s era, said no such approval was given during Dasuki’s tenure.
He said: “Oga (NSA Dasuki) did not grant anyone approval to build an armoury,” the former official said. He asked not to be named so as not to be victimised by the current administration.
“Maintaining an armoury in Government House is an illegal activity, and we did not approve any such request during our time. We did not permit any governor to store arms and ammunition.
“If he is insisting there was an approval granted him for his armoury, we challenge him to make the documentation public.”
Igbere TV had previously reported that Senator Amosun said his administration legitimately purchased the 13 units of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), 1000 units of AK 47 rifles, two million rounds of ammunition, 1000 units of bullet proof vests and 500 bullet proof helmets and other security communication gadgets.
Amosun made the disclosure in a statement released by his Spokesperson, Rotimi Durojaiye, a copy of which was made available to Igbere TV on Thursday, June 27.
Igbere TV reports that the former governor said his administration had received approval from the Office of the National Security Adviser (Dasuki Sambo) to former president Goodluck Jonathan.
He recalled that in 2012, his administration had committed “substantial funds” for the procurement of hard and software to combat the myriad of security challenges being faced by the state.
Amosun pointed out that in April 2012, the security gadgets were publicly handed over to the then Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar.
He said it was the remainder of gadgets that had been handed over to the Ogun State Commissioner of Police on May 28, but clarified that “not a single AK 47 rifle was handed over at the event.”
Amosun added that Prince Dapo Abiodun, his successor and present governor of Ogun State, was the main supplier of some of the security assets, including the Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) which he reportedly handed over to the police at the end of his tenure.
