The immediate past governor of Ogun state, Ibikunle Amosun, has denied handing over 1000 AK 47 rifles to the police on May 28.
Amosun was said to have handed over 1000 AK47 rifles and four million bullets acquired before 2019 elections to the police a few hours before Dapo Abiodun, his successor, took over the state.
He was also said to have desperately cleared the government house, Abeokuta, of any “incriminating material” before Abiodun moved in.
But Amosun, who is currently a senator, said the due process was followed in the procurement of the arms and ammunition.
He said the biggest challenge that confronted the state when he assumed office in 2011 was insecurity, prompting him to convene a security parley that gave rise to the Ogun State Security Trust Fund (STF) under the leadership of Sambo Dasuki, former NSA.
The former governor said following recommendations from the STF, the government got approval from the office of the NSA for the procurement of “13 units of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), the 1000 units of AK 47 rifles, 2 Million rounds of ammunition,1000 units of Bulletproof vests and 500 bulletproof helmets and other security communication gadgets”
He dismissed the allegation that he tried to hide it from Abiodun, saying the incumbent governor of Ogun was among those who supplied the security assets.
Amosun added that the weapons which were stored in the armoury of the Ogun government house were handed over to the police publicly.
He did not give details of the arms and ammunition handed over but he alleged that previous reports on the issue were meant to cast him in a bad light.
“The story represented everything but the true and factual accounts regarding a routine exercise that took place at the Ogun State Governors Office, Abeokuta in the morning of Tuesday 28 May 2019, as part of Handing Over processes and formalities from the then out-going to the incoming Administration,” he said in a statement which Rotimi Durojaiye, his spokesman, issued on his behalf.
“It is important to clarify that NOT A SINGLE AK 47 RIFLE was handed over at the event. The particular exercise of 28 May 2019, was done openly in the full glare of the public and the media to ensure accountability, guarantee transparency and judicious use of the assets.
“First, we sought and got approval to set up “OP MESA” for Ogun State. We followed this up with the specialized QRS unit. We committed substantial funds into the procurement of hard and software, and, myriad security assets to decisively combat our security challenges.
“We got all necessary approvals from the Office of the National Security Adviser to procure the 13 units of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), the 1000 units of AK 47 rifles, 2 Million rounds of ammunition,1000 units of Bulletproof vests and 500 bulletproof helmets and other security communication gadgets. Ogun State not only got approval to import these essential assets, the Federal administration under President Goodluck Jonathan, gave all requisite approvals to assist the State.
“The Federal Government through the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) issued the State the End User Certificate Serial Number 000001123 dated 5th of March, 2012. The Federal Ministry of Finance also granted Import Duty Exemption Certificate through a letter from the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy with Reference Number BO/R.10260/S.4/T.4/22 dated 10th April 2012.
Indeed the supplier was an accredited agent of the Nigeria Police Force nominated for the job by the Force who also monitored and supervised the transaction. The security materials were cleared through the Murtala Muhammed Airport and confirmed through Nigeria Customs Memo NCS/MMAC/012/S.1. The materials were publicly handed over to the Inspector General of Police MD Abubakar on 22nd April 2012.
“Without going into the details and thereby breaching conventions, suffice to say categorically that the AK47 rifles were supplied directly to the Nigeria Police, Ogun State Command.
“The rest of the merchandise were securely kept in the approved designated armoury within the Government House precincts under police surveillance as it obtains in most Government Lodges, to guarantee exclusive use of the materials in Ogun state.”