Paper Review: Why Buhari Ordered Arrest Of Dasuki, Others

The major issues of focus today, Wednesday, November 18, in the Nigerian daily newspapers are mostly on the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), the order given by the presidency for his arrest and the fuel price matters.

As its major headline, Vanguard newspaper has ‘$2.9b arms procurement: Buhari orders arrest of Dasuki, others’ on the front page.

It says that President Muhammdu Buhari on the night of Tuesday, November 17, ordered the arrest of Dasuki, for allegedly siphoning billions of dollars earmarked for arms purchases.

The report says that in ordering the arrest, President Buhari observed that the actions of the erstwhile NSA brought the nation to international ridicule as the failure to procure the arms incapacitated the military in the face of the insurgency orchestrated by the Boko Haram sect.

Vanguard front page, Wednesday, November 18, 2015

The Nation newspaper also the same issue as its major headline: Arms deals: Buhari orders arrest of Dasuki, others.

It reports that those implicated by the investigative panel on arms procurement have been ordered arrested by the presidency.

The paper also reports that on top of the list – indeed the only one mentioned – was Dasuki. It further reports that a source disclosed same last night that a former Chief of Army Staff was among the suspects.

It further reports that the suspects were not named in order to prevent their escape from Nigeria.

The Nation front page, Wednesday, November 18, 2015

The Punch newspaper on its part on the same Dasuki issue with the major headline: Dasuki awarded N333bn fake arms contracts –Panel.

It reports that the arrest came after President Buhari received the interim report of the 13-man committee set up by the office of the NSA to audit the procurement of arms and equipment in the Armed Forces and Defence sector from 2007 to date.

Among other weighty allegations by the committee in the report, the ex-NSA awarded failed contracts totalling N482bn.

The Punch front page, Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Still on the indictment of the former NSA to the immediate past president, Goodluck Jonathan, the Daily Sun has this as its major headline: Arms Deal: Dasuki ex-NSA, Indicted.

According to the special adviser on media and publicity to President Buhari, Femi Adesina, the committee which was inaugurated on August 31 was yet to complete its work.

The paper reports that in a statement from the presidential villa on last night, it was revealed that between March 2012 and March 2015, the erstwhile NSA awarded fictitious and phantom contracts to the tune of N2, 219,188,609.50, $1,671,742,613.58 and €9,905,477.00.

Dasuki is said to have expressed his disappointment over reports that President Buhari ordered his arrest over alleged siphoning of billions of dollars earmarked for arms purchases. He stressed that he is being embarrassed by the presidency.

Daily Sun front page, Wednesday, November 18, 2015

However, The Guardian does not have the Dasuki issue as its major headline. It has the fuel issue as its major headline. On the front page it says: Fuel Price Review Likely in January.

It reports that an end to the current fuel crisis may not be certain but minister of state for petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu, on Tuesday, November 17, gave an indication that a new pump price will come into effect next January 2016.

A litre of premium motor spirit (PMS) now sells for N300 in many parts of Rivers State, including Port Harcourt. In Anambra, it is about N150 for a litre.

Meanwhile, following reports of biting fuel scarcity in the country, Kachikwu ordered the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to seal off fuel stations found to be hoarding petroleum products and give out the petroleum free to the public.