The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, and the Senator representing Borno South, Senator Ali Ndume, has called for more funding for the Nigerian Army stating that they are underfunded.
The Senator made this disclosure on Wednesday in Sokoto at the Nigeria Army 8 Divisional Headquarters, Kalambaina, during the committee’s oversight visit, adding that they were at the army division to ascertain whether the money appropriated for them is being judiciously used or not.
According to him, the committee’s second mission is fact-finding the various military operations going on in the North-west.
‘You aware that we have been briefed by the GOC and most of the information we shared are highly confidential,’ he stated.
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He seized the opportunity to commend the division’s GOC, Brig. Gen. Aminu Bande, for his efforts at waging war against kidnappers and bandits in the area.
‘With what is obtainable in other countries in the world, budgeting one percent to the Army in Nigeria is grossly inadequate,’ Ndume said.
while reacting, Bande disclosed that apart from waging war against banditry, the Division has also done its best to live up to its corporate social responsibility by providing healthcare service, potable water, and palliatives to the host communities.
‘Comparatively, the security situation here is better than that of the northeast,’ he said.
Earlier in a closed-door meeting, the GOC briefed the committee on the activities of the Division ranging from different operations against kidnapping, banditry, health service delivery, and provision of palliative to the host communities.
The Nigeria Army 8 Division coordinates different operations in Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara States against kidnappers and bandits.
The military says its troops of ‘Operation Sahel Sanity’ have continued to record tangible achievements in their quest to rid the entire northwest zone of Nigeria of banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping, and other sundry criminalities.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK