By Christiana Ekpa
The Minister of Defence, Bashir Magaji, on Tuesday said security has been beefed up within Abuja and surrounding states over security alerts raised by several embassies in the country last week, even as he said that the Agencies realized that what is needed is to be extra vigilant to prevent any activity of the bandits from the Capital and other states.
Magaji disclosed this when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee to defend the Ministry’s 2023 budget proposal.
The Minister said there was no smoke without fire and there was need to be extra vigilant.
He said, “If you remember, yesterday, the security council met and we discussed this threat and it was believed that we will not take it lightly. We tried to verify the source of the threat or the pronouncement made by the US government. We tried to identify countries that were also interested in the same remarks made by the US government and we are of the opinion that the best way to go about it is to continue and where possible beef up security in Abuja and its contiguous states, that is Nassarawa, Niger and the rest of them.
“However, we believe that there is no smoke without fire and in that regard, we were able to subject the details to our intelligence organizations and they have provided answers to those areas which the government is in doubt and we realized that what we need is to be extra vigilant to prevent any activity of the bandits, from where the threat is likely, we will be able to provide enough forces that can neutralize those kinds of situations.
“I want to assure members that the government is on top of the situation. Based on the security meeting and what we have on the ground, I think what we need is prayers from the United States, not giving us information that will make our citizens to be either confused or not being able to take appropriate action. And our Minister of Foreign Affairs is taking that up to ensure that information of such nature is brought to the notice of the ministry before disseminating to the society.
“I think we are on top of the situation. The threat is not very dire but we are not taking it lightly. We are doing all we can to ensure that peace and progress of Nigeria is maintained.”
For 2023 appropriation, he said, the sum of N32, 729, 171, 424 was proposed.
“The sum N15, 052, 063, 215 is for personnel cost. While N2, 211, 743, 819 is for overhead. The of N15, 465, 364, 390 if capital expenditure. The details being submitted for consideration is attached,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary, Dr Ibrahim Kana, said the envelope system of budget was not appropriate for the Ministry.
He said, “The Ministry of defence as an omnibus ministry comprises the headquarters and her agencies. Which is the armed forces and the others. As it is now, the budget comes as a whole to the ministry under the mInister of defence. However the budget is further disaggregated into services, thereby making the Minister only responsible for the budget of the MOD headquarters. The situation is the Minister does not have direct influence on the other segments of the budget as it is now. It has its advantages and it has its disadvantages, which the Minster has been discussing with relevant authorities.
“We are operating now in an era of joint operations. Joint operations from the armed forces, from the defence academy, at the level of junior course, at the level of senior course, at the level of strategic course and of course at the field level. Therefore it only makes sense that the country operates one armed force, especially at operational level.
And that should also be reflected at the budgetary level, which we all know would reduce wastage and also enhance the capabilities of the armed forces and also make better use of our resources especially now that we have dwindling resources in the country. So basically the view of the Ministry is that while the government has taken that option, for the Ministry it is much easier and better if the system is operated in a vertical manner to reduce duplication. That is the view of the Ministry.”
Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson, said as a legislature, the House has made efforts to ensure adequate resources are made available to the defence sector based on available resources.
He said, “The 2023 budget is however, unique and important considering that it is the last for this administration. We must therefore work collectively to deliver more on the goals of this administration to drastically reduce cases of insecurity across the country. This Committee will continue to support this vision through our legislative activities. However, we shall also embark on rigorous oversight exercise to ensure that MDAs adhere strictly to the provisions of the Appropriation Act as eventually passed by the National Assembly and accented to by Mr. President.”
