Nigerian Lawmakers Give Chief Of Naval Staff 7-Days Ultimatum To Appear Before Public Account Committee

Lawmakers at the lower chamber of the national assembly have directed the country’s Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ekwe Ibas, to appear before its House  Committee on  Public Account.

Naija News learnt that the directive was given by the lawmakers after the  Naval boss failed to appear before the house of representatives committee to defend a query on N11.5 million unaccounted for by the navy.

The query issued by the office of the auditor-general revealed that N11.5 million was paid as rent for a four-bedroom apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos State by the Nigerian Navy. The query added that the receipt issued did not reflect the duration of the rent and, in violation of financial regulations.

However expressing there displeasure the lawmakers in the Committee berated the Chief of Naval Staff deliberate ignorance to honour their earlier invitation, and instead sent the Nigerian Navy’s Assistant Director of Budget, whom the lawmakers consider being too low ranked to address the Parliament. They asked the Chief Of Naval Staff to ensure that he honours the invitation within seven days.

Naija News Understands that a delegation of the navy which was led by the service’s assistant director of the budget, Murtala Ahmed, represented Mr Ibas, a vice admiral, instead.