Nigeria’s military gets N800bn to fight insecurity

Considering the urgency of the security situation in Nigeria, the federal executive presented a supplementary budget of N800bn to the NASS, and it has been approved.

So the nation’s security agencies have no excuse again, Senate Committee on Army Chairman Ali Ndume said yesterday.

“With this now, there is light at the end of the tunnel because if the materials and necessary military hardware and equipment are immediately purchased, and handed over to the military, I am sure that the Nigerian Army who are known for their gallantry in international assignments will be able to do more to defend the internal security challenges confronting Nigeria.”

The APC senator commended President Muhammadu Buhari on that.

Ndume has been advocating that Buhari should focus security now, even at the expense of the economy because without security, the nation cannot thrive.

He also expressed satisfaction Buhari spoke in a broadcast to the nation, saying Nigerians had been worried over his continued silence on critical national issues in recent times.

“Many Nigerians are now happy that their President has started talking to them once again. I therefore encourage him to be doing that intermittently, if possible, on quarterly basis.”

On rising debt burdens, Ndume said  the problem is not about borrowing because the idea is not bad becuse developed nations also do the same thing.

“It is what the government do with the money that is important. The concentration on infrastructure development by the Buhari administration, especially in the area of railway and roads is commendable,’ he said.

“The Federal Government should look at the possibility of borrowing for agricultural development so that our people will move from subsistence farming to a mechanised one.

“If that is achieved, it will generate employment and guarantee food security. Also, there would be no need for Nigeria to spend foreign exchange on food importation.”