TheCable

The New Initiative for Credible Leadership (NICreL) says Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff (COAS), is entrenching transparency in the military.

This followed his response to the the freedom of information request made to the Nigerian army by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Enough is Enough (EiE), and BudgIT

NICreL said it was pleased with the COAS for releasing the requested information without hesitation.

“NICreL recognizes that the COAS and the Nigerian Army broke away from the traditional consideration for national security to comply with the request of the three group,” Samson Onwu, executive director of the group, said.

“This is commendable on the part of General Buratai even though Nigerians will be watching to see the use to which these organizations put the information they have acquired. Such outcomes will influence the reaction of citizens in the future when organizations or individuals come under the Freedom of Information Act to request information that impact national security.

“The culture of transparency, for which General Buratai is known, institutionalized and is now entrenching through the release of the information, is commendable. With due respect, we, however, have the strong belief in his discretion to have released the information only after it is duly certified that there is nothing sensitive contained in the document to jeopardize national interest and security.

“This concern on our part is informed by the recent experiences, in which an international organization was exposed by the Nigerian Army for passing information it obtained in the course of its work to Boko Haram terrorists in addition to using its activities in the northeast as cover to train and equip the insurgents.

“Our understanding is that there is a limit to the obligation of military and security agencies when it comes to releasing information under the FOI Act. This has to be especially considered in view of the glaring danger of information being legally obtained for the sole goal of passing same to terrorists. We therefore appeal to General Buratai as the COAS and the Nigerian Army as an institution, with the entire military, to be mindful of the limit of information that is passed to such group for the sake of the integrity of the country and national security.”