Huge Military Spending: The Need for a Probe

Ecological Fund: An Epicentre of Corruption

It is becoming a great source of worry that despite the huge funding of the military to normalize the insecurity situation bedeviling Nigeria, the reverse seems to be the case. The situation has overtime snowballed to a catastrophe threatening the unity of the country. Discerning minds are worried on the appalling situation despite several claims of victory and assurances.

But, how much can meet demands of the military to end the insecurity situations? Should we continue to believe in the capacity of the military to normalize the situation? The Nigerian army received over N1trillion in just 28 months and yet troops at the theatre of war with the dreaded insurgents continue to complain of inadequate weapons to execute the war. The outcry was confirmed by Sen. Muhammed Ali Ndume from Borno south senatorial district and Senate Committee Chairman on Army.

At her recent appearance before the Senate Committee on Army, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed revealed that the Army had received N1,008.84 trillion as budget releases from January 2019 and the first quarter of 2021. We are not making reference to what the government expended from 2015- 2019 and that of former president Goodluck Jonathan that was expended on the war against insurgency that has defied solution till date.

Zainab Ahmed further revealed that apart from the stated budgetary provisions, there were several instances where the Service Chiefs got special approvals for funds directly from the President.

She gave a breakdown of the N1,008.84 trillion disbursed to the army in just two years as: N129.69 billion for capital expenditure; N39.76billion for overhead cost; N681.79billion for personal cost; and N157.6billion as special releases.

On the capital funding, Zainab said: “In 2019, what was budgeted for the Nigerian Army was N19.6billion, adding that N12.84 billion was released representing 64.37 percent.

She further revealed that in 2020, the total capital budget for the Army was N34.37billion “and this amount was released 100 percent”.

According to the Minister, “for 2021, the total budget of the army is N29billion as at April. We have released N17.98billion of that amount, which is 68.92percent. it therefore mean, we are on course to release 100 percent of the total budget.

“There was outside of budget spending because the need was higher than what was provided in the budget. There was a total provision of N64.5billion for procurement of military equipments that was provided for through special approval of the President.

“In terms of overhead cost, in 2019, what was budgeted was N15.64billion out of which N14.299billion was released, representing 91.01percent

“In 2020 what was budgeted for overhead cost was N20.634billion and N20.471billion was released, representing 99.21percent

“In 2021, which is the current year, the total budget for the year is N20.63billion and three months releases that were made so far on overhead totaling N4.99billion representing 96.75percent of the prorated budget for the three months because the year is still running”.

But despite all the releases, the Nigeria Army is still requesting for additional funding in the proposed supplementary budget that will soon be presented to the National Assembly.

In his defence on why the insurgents are still fighting with vigor and determination, the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru said troops lack weapons to defeat the insurgents.

According to him, it is difficult to curb banditry, insurgency, kidnapping, secession threats and other forms of criminality without the required weapons and hardware.

But if truth must be told, where went all the monies, budgeted for procurement of weapons and hardware right from 2012 when a war was declared against the insurgents? Is there no need for a discreet probe of military expenditure incurred over the years? This may be another case of abracadabra. The more you look, the less you see, and the more you see, the less you understand!

In spite of the humongous amount released to the military, Nigeria is near the verge of submitting to the terrorists threats. There are increased and brazen cases of mass abduction and murder of students, travelers and other innocent persons in their homes. Bandits are fast becoming more emboldened and determined with sophistication in their daily brutality.

Security and police formations have come under deadly attacks across the country by ‘unknown’ gun men, with feeble or no simple resistance to the madness.

Policemen and soldiers are killed in their numbers daily in what appears to be our country’s, worst moment of insecurity ever experienced, yet, we are told that there are no enough weapons, hardware and manpower to stop those merchants of death from further brutality. Where then went all the budgetary allocations to the Nigerian Army, the Police and other Security Agencies that are crying to the National Assembly for immediate solution? Why are there more police personnel attached to politicians and other so called influential persons than those in critical policing? Are the National Assembly members not the chief contractors of the military who actively participate in the diversion of allocated funds for procurement of weapons and hardware to shoddy contracts? Let there be a thorough probe of military expenditure and cases of malfeasance would definitely be exposed including connivance to the bewilderment of all.

To cap it all, one has to blame the woes of the military on underfunding from source and misappropriation of the little budgetary allocations released that include diversion etc.

Muhammad is a commentator on national issues

 

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