TheCable

Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser, says Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau might have disrupted the 2015 election were it not for efforts of the Goodluck Jonathan administration in equipping the armed forces.

Dasuki said the immediate past government procured adequate arms that assisted in recapturing more than 22 local governments seized by insurgents.

He said some of those equipment are due to be delivered to the country soon, attributing the delayed delivery to frustration from western powers.

“We are glad that we provided assorted armoured personnel carriers to transport troops to the battlefield. They are armed for self-defence and to provide protection from attacks from shrapnel and small arms fire,” he told PRNigeria.

“We deployed Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles that we bought and could withstand improvised explosive device (IED) attacks and ambushes. The vehicles had protected our troops from the land mine threats.

“The armored tanks have comprehensive NBC protection system. All these were acquired in the last one year after years of frustration by Western powers who denied us of the equipment and sabotaged our efforts to acquire same from other sources, which are reasons for some delay in delivery.

“It was unfortunate that some elements are frustrating the efforts as we even had to query some suppliers for delay in delivery of arms and ammunition.

“We utilised some of these equipment to recover more than 22 local governments under Boko Haram terrorists and ensured that Shekau did not disrupt the 2015 election as he had threatened. Not only did we ensure that the elections were peaceful, Shekau has never spoken to threaten anyone again since then.”

Responding to critics of the past administration on security issues, he said: “It is unfortunate that some elements hide under the cover of anonymity in the media to rubbish some of the sacrifices we made. They should the take the courage to come out publicly by identifying themselves with their baseless allegations.

“In attempt to rubbish individuals for whatever reasons, political or otherwise, we should be careful not to rubbish sensitive institutions and their personnel that might still be in active the service.”

The Department of State Services (DSS) is currently investigating Dasuki over alleged mismanagement of funds accrued to his office when he was in power.

After raiding his Abuja residence, the DSS said it found incriminating evidence against the retired colonel. But Dasuki denied the allegations, describing the occupation of his house as witch-hunt.