The recent resolve of the National Assembly to approve special funding for the nation’s security forces is understandable considering the spate of killings and insecurity across the country. However, such funding, according to the senate, will be different from the annual budget of the agencies. The lawmakers who met with the heads of the security agencies asked them to forward their request for special funding within two weeks for approval.
Those that attended the meeting were the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Duara; and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin, while the heads of other military and para-military agencies were represented at the occasion.
The National Assembly has done the right thing by its decision to approve special funding for our security agencies in order to enhance their operational efficiency to contain the nation’s security challenges. The security challenges such as kidnapping, herdsmen killings and Boko Haram insurgency demand new approaches.
The issue of national security should not be politicised. We commend the National Assembly for rising to the challenge of approving special funding for our security agencies to ensure security of life and property of all Nigerians as well as the territorial integrity of the country, we hope that they keep their promise. There is no doubt that the regular annual budgetary allocation may not be adequate for the security forces in view of the daunting security challenges in the country.
While we applaud the senate’s intervention, we also advise that the special funding for security forces should not be abused by those entrusted with the fund. Sadly, the security agencies have not been adequately funded and equipped by successive administrations in the country.
There is no denying the fact that our military and other security forces have to be funded adequately, if they are to carry out their tasks efficiently. The senate must ensure that the approved special funding is judiciously deployed to areas where they are critically needed. The prevalent armed banditry and terrorism in several parts of the country require pragmatic approaches and adequate deployment of arms and intelligence if they must be curtailed.
The war against the insurgents and other crimes in the country is still in progress. More counter insurgency measures should be put in place to rid the country of the menacing security challenges. Although the challenges are daunting, they can be surmounted.
The country needs all hands on deck, and cannot afford to trifle with the serious security challenges any further. The executive and the legislature need to put selfish considerations aside and act in the best interest of the country.
The poor state of our police force, which should ordinarily be the first line of defence in our internal security matters, underscores the sad story of the crass neglect of our security architecture and how ill-prepared we are for the present challenges. This has warranted the deployment of the military to such internal security operations and the exposure of their underbelly to situations that they are ill-equipped and ill-prepared for.
These inadequacies must be factored into the special funds now being considered for the security forces by the National Assembly. All Nigerians must collaborate with the security agencies to ensure that the country is secure.