$1bn security fund: Reps urge FG to follow due process

THE House of Representatives has advised the Presidency to follow due process in obtaining one billion dollars from Nigeria’s Excess Crude Account (ECA) to fight insurgency.

Spokesman of the House, Rep. Abdulrasak Namdas (Adamawa-APC), gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

Namdas said that the National Assembly had not received any notice on such need of government, nor had it given any approval for one billion dollars to be taken from the ECA for the military to fight insurgency.

According to him, the normal practice in Nigeria is that any amount to be withdrawn from the Federation Account must have approval from the National Assembly.

“We are hoping that this will be brought before us before any amount is withdrawn.

“Although from the presidency we have heard some explanations that the president has not approved.

“What we have been told is that the National Executive Council (NEC) has given its tacit approval and that it will still come to the National Assembly.

“But until we approve, no single amount can be taken from that account,” he said.

The All Progressives Congress (APC)- Federal Government has been under criticism following President Muhammadu Buhari had approved one billion dollars from the ECA to procure more military hardware to fight Boko Haram terrorism.