In a bid to win the war against terrorism in the country, President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the release of more funds for the procurement of military equipment.
The Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, said the purchase of more military hardware would help to boost the capacity of the Nigerian Armed Forces to tackle the current security challenges posed by members of the Boko Haram sect.
Obanikoro spoke in Port Harcourt on Thursday while inspecting Navy formations and facilities in Rivers State.
It will be recalled that President Jonathan had written to the National Assembly, seeking approval to take N1bn loan that would enable his administration to support the military to fight insurgency.
He expressed the Federal Government’s commitment towards enhancing military capacity to deliver in the fight against terrorism.
The minister recalled that the military had not experienced such an effort to boost its capacity since the past 25 years.
He said, “President Goodluck Jonathan is committed to enhancing our military efficiency and capacity to deliver in the fight against insurgency. In the fight against terrorism, the President has approved huge acquisitions to build up the capacity of our military. This has not been done in the last 25 years.
“These are efforts that are highly commendable and we should continue to encourage and support government to do more in the fight against insurgency. The fight against terrorism is not all about the President; it is not about you and me. It is about all of us and it is a war that we can only win if we stand together.Without sounding immodest, I commend the commitment, dedication and the sacrifices they (military) have been making and made in the past.”
Obanikoro noted that the Nigerian military had shown resilience despite operational challenges, promising that President Jonathan would give more support to the military.
The minister, however, urged Nigerians to support the military in its bid to end the problem of insecurity facing the country.
Meanwhile, the Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke, has advocated more funding for security agencies in order to curb the problem of insurgency.
He made this known on Thursday in Calabar during a `Security Summit’, organised by the Cross River State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Imoke, who was represented by the State Security Adviser, Mr. Rekpene Bassey, said security operation needed adequate logistics, hence the need for more funding.
He said, “We cannot carry out security operations without adequate logistics, mobility, communication, funding, and incentive for men in the field.
“We should also advocate for insurance programmes for personnel of the various security agencies, this would help to cater for their family and loved ones in case of death and other emergencies.”
Imoke called for intelligence information gathering among the security agencies, saying that it would go a long way in preventing insurgency in the country.
He said the state government had unveiled the state ‘neighbourhood watch’, aimed at improving the security architecture of the state. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
there needs to be a comprehensive review and reform of defense spending. it is time we took a long hard look at the cancer of corruption that is slowly strangling our dear nation to death.
ReplyDelete