Rising insecurity: Controversy trails N131bn cut in 2022 military budget

The Army lamented the reduction of its budget from N710 billion earlier proposed to N579 billion in 2022.

On Monday, bandits attacked Katsina communities and on Tuesday senior staff of the University of Abuja were kidnapped by bandits at the staff quarters.

This cut of N131 billion from 2022 military budget was made known by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Farouk Yahaya who appeared before the Senate Committee on Army chaired by Senator Ali Mohammed Ndume

According to him, the reduction that was carried out by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Budget office was unhealthy despite heightening insecurity in the nation.

The Army Chief, however, pleaded with the lawmakers to remove them from the envelope budgeting system which he maintained was hampering their operations.

In his words, "In preparing for the year 2022 budget, the Nigerian Army (NA) proposed about the sum of N710 billion only.

"However, the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning budget ceiling reduced it to a total sum of Five Hundred and Seventy-Nine Billion Naira (N579b) only.

"This reduction would impede the capacity and tempo of the Nigerian Army in carrying out its constitutional duties particularly the ongoing war against Boko Haram terrorists and other criminalities across the country.

"The detail of this request is contained in the Nigerian Army Year 2022 Budget Defence booklet earlier submitted to this Distinguished Committee."

General Yahaya further appealed to the Committee to intervene so that its capital budget releases would be within the first quarter of 2022.

According to the Army Boss, early capital releases would aid the Nigerian Army for rapid and timely rehabilitation of dilapidated accommodations in over 138 barracks and training facilities across NA units/formations, as well as procure the required arsenal and platforms to prosecute the fight against terrorism, kidnappings and other criminalities across the country.

The Army Chief said the sum of N642.7 billion only should be approved for the Nigerian Army Personnel Emolument for the year 2022 Budget, N29.6 billion for overhead and N37.6 billion for 2022 capital projects.

The Army Chief also added that despite the inadequate funding, that the Nigerian Army remain committed to securing the territorial integrity of Nigeria from any violation, as the clearance operation to rid the country of Boko Haram terrorists and other criminal groups are still ongoing.

"The timely and complete implementation of the year 2022 budget will thus enhance the fulfilment of the NA's constitutional mandate and thus engender peace for socio-economic development of our country Nigeria," he stressed.

While supporting the submissions of the Army Chief, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC Borno South ), said it was wrong to put the security agencies in envelope budgeting.

He maintained that "As a committee, the budgetary allocations proposed for the Nigerian Army in 2022 is grossly inadequate, the very reason envelope budgeting should not be used for the military at this time of serious security challenges in the country."

Meanwhile, Security expert expressed optimism over the budget figure in an interview with the Nigerian NewsDirect.

A Security expert and Managing Director of Beacon Consulting Ltd, Dr Kabiru Adamu was optimistic that defence activities in 2021 can be maintained and surpassed provided leakages within the system are blocked.

According to him, "The defence budget for 2021 was about N348 billion. Therefore the downward review of the N579 billion for 2022 is still above that of 2021. I am of the view that the momentum of activities maintained within the defence sector in 2021 can be maintained and surpassed in 2022 with this budgeted figure provided the leakages within the system are blocked."

However Retired Colonel Abdullahi Mohammed described the slash as another way to kill the morale of soldiers on the battlefield against Boko Haram terrorists and bandits operating in North Central and North West. According to him, several soldiers have been reported in the news running away from the battle due to the acquisition of superior weapons by bandits and Boko Haram.

"This is not the time to cut military budget. It merely exposed the height of ignorance about the operations of the military by top government officials in the Federal Ministry of Finance and budget," he lamented.

" A quick reversal will safe the country from further embarrassment and humiliation of Nigerian soldiers fighting with obsolete weapons."

It would be recalled that several soldiers of 124 battalion dismissed two years ago for running away from the battle field against Boko Haram were recently recalled by the Ministry of Defence.

[NewsDirect]