Nigerian Army Needs Funds To Defeat Boko Haram

In a clear term, the Nigerian Army on Wednesday declared that its soldiers could not march force with force with the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents.

The Chief of Accounts and Budget (army), Maj.-Gen. Abdullahi Muraina, said this at Jaji, near Kaduna at a training programme for the Nigerian Army Finance Corps Warrant Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned officers.

Muraina said without adequate funding, the army would not be able to halt the current activities of Boko Haram.

He said, “Currently, budgetary allocation for the military is inadequate to meet the contemporary security challenges and also cater for the welfare of the Nigerian Army.”

Muraina noted that apart from inadequate funding,the army was enmeshed in bureaucratic bottlenecks for funding approvals for military operations across the country, urging the Federal Government to evolve other means of funding and supporting military operations aside the usual budgetary allocations.

He also said there was the need for a special operation fund to be included in the defence budget and placed under the control of the Chief of Army Staff.

Muraina , who described Warrant Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers as the backbone of regimentation in the Nigerian Army, said, “Apart from limitations of the envelope system, the Nigerian Army is enmeshed in the bureaucratic bottlenecks for funding approvals for military operations.

“This calls for a review as the increasing speed at which the effects of conflicts appear in the operational environment will continue to challenge commanders.

“It is our humble appeal that government could evolve other means of funding and supporting military operations other than the normal budgetary allocations.

“Such means include but not limited to strategic cooperation and liason with other civil industries for the production of uniforms and other equipment.

“A special operation fund could be included in defence budget and placed under the control of the Chief of Army Staff.

“The increasing dynamic environment coupled with continued technogical development in the country and our immediate neighbours have spurred the Nigerian Army to place high premium on efficiency, proficiency and professionalism of officers and soldiers.”

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Kenneth Minimah, noted with regrets that there had been an increase in the wave of socio-political and ethno-religious crises threatening the nation’s security.

Minimah in a message read on his behalf on the occasion by the GOC 1 Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Maj.-Gen. Kenneth Osuji, said the insecurity in the country had assumed higher dimension which had left serious demands on the resources of the Nigerian Army.