Insecurity: Ndume Urges FG to Prioritise Armed Forces Budget

• Insists there are discrepancies in new tax laws

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Ali Ndume has urged the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government to prioritise the budget of the country’s armed forces in order to tackle insecurity in Nigeria.

Ndume who gave the advice yesterday while speaking as a guest on Arise News Prime Time programme, also urged the government to capitalise on the collaboration with the United States, in wiping out or reducing activities of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent extremism in the country.

The senator who noted that Nigerian soldiers as well as other security agencies in the country are committed to the safety and security of the people and the territorial integrity of Nigeria, lamented that the challenge remains adequate funding.

According to him, there is clear visibility now for the army to go into the three black spots in the North East and take on insurgents but, “they still need training, motivation and ammunition”.

Ndume therefore urged the government to stand up and be counted, especially since the declaration of a ‘State of Emergency’ on insecurity. “The president should walk the talk… the army is very committed but without morale boosters, ammunition it is difficult,” he said.

According to Ndume, some of the soldiers lost in the North-east were as a result of landmines and suicide bombers, when the heat was on insurgents, adding that these soldiers would have been alive if they had fighter jets to cover them as they move in on insurgents.

While noting that the legislature has continued to approve funds for the military to tackle insecurity in the country, he disclosed that these funds hardly get to the people.

“Defence has the highest budget this year, where the problem is in the funding”, he said, just as he pointed out that funds released to the military don’t get to the concerned persons, as and when due.

To remedy the situation, Ndume stressed that Nigeria should emulate countries like America which has prioritised the budget of their armed forces, to ensure that monies voted are received as at when due.

On the issue of the new tax law, the Borno Senator, claimed he was “one of those that identified the differences” and called on the leadership to say there is a problem “because what we passed was not what the president signed”.

While warning that the issue is not something that can be buried due to the controversies it has generated, he advised the leadership of the Senate to handle the issue more transparently.

Responding to questions on the 2027 general elections, Ndume noted that  Tinubu could be re-elected if he gets insecurity and some other current challenges right.

“The President needs to make amends, once things are turned around….there is relative peace, people can freely move through Nigeria, they would have no reason to change the leadership”, he said.

The senator pointed out that some of the people around the president are his major problem f, adding that, “when he was governor of Lagos State he had good people around him, today most of the good people have been sidelined”.