The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Farouk Yahaya, has cried out that N579billion approved for the Nigerian Army for the 2022 fiscal year is grossly inadequate to fight terrorism and banditry in the country.
General Yahaya laid the complaint Wednesday when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Army to defend the 2022 budget.
“However, the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning budget ceiling reduced it to N579bn.
“This reduction would impede the capacity and tempo of the Nigerian Army in carrying out its constitutional duties particularly the ongoing war against Boko Haram terrorists and other criminalities across the country.
“The National Assembly should prevail on the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to exempt the Nigerian Army from the current budget ceiling or envelope allocation system.
“I therefore passionately appeal to this (Senate) committee to impress it on the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to begin the release of year 2022 Nigerian Army capital budget from the First Quarter 2022.
“This would help the Nigerian Army to rehabilitate dilapidated accommodations in over 138 barracks and training facilities across our units, and formations as well as procure the needed equipment and platforms to prosecute the war against terrorism and other criminalities across the country.”
– Media Report