Senate spokesperson: N’assembly has ensured adequate security funding

Yemi Adaramodu, senate spokesperson and senator representing Ekiti south, says the national assembly has fulfilled its responsibility in funding the military to tackle insecurity across the country.

Speaking to Prime Reporters TV on Friday, Adaramodu said the legislature has made “handsome” budgetary allocations to security agencies to ensure they are well-equipped to tackle the country’s security challenges.

“In the budget, the national assembly has already done a lot through appropriation to make sure that a very handsome amount went to security,” he said.

“We want to make sure they do not lack the necessary basic military infrastructure to protect Nigeria and Nigerians.”

‘MILITARY HAS NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT UNDERFUNDING’

Adaramodu said the military has never complained about underfunding from the national assembly.

“I don’t think the military has ever come up and said that the national assembly has not appropriated enough for them,” he said.

Responding to questions on oversight, the senate spokesperson said the national assembly continues to monitor the performance of security agencies through enquiries and summoning their leadership.

“This year alone, we have called them to question almost seven times. Last year we did the same,” he said.

While acknowledging a recent slowdown in kidnapping incidents, he warned against declaring victory prematurely.

“We found out that the spate of kidnapping had already slowed down, but don’t let us say we have reached Eldorado. We are still working on it,” he said.

‘MILITARY NEEDS TO DO MORE’

Adaramodu commended the military and other security agencies for their efforts and urged them to intensify their operations.

“We are talking to them again to do more and make sure we stamp this out,” he said.

He noted that Nigeria, like every other country, will continue to face crime but emphasised the need for capacity to confront and punish offenders.

“There’s no country in the whole world where it is free from crime. The key is the ability and capacity of the country to curtail it and ensure offenders are apprehended,” he said.

Adaramodu stressed that while the national assembly plays a key oversight role, lawmakers cannot physically follow troops into the battlefield.

“While doing our oversight functions, we will not go to Sambisa forest with them,” he said.

“We will not be counting how many bullets they have expended or how many helmets they lost in the war. What we want to know is, are we winning the war against insurgents, kidnappers, bandits, and terrorists?”

He said there has been notable improvement, citing fewer kidnapping incidents and increased state-level security efforts, particularly in Benue, where a paramilitary outfit has been launched to assist the military.

On May 6, the senate resolved to hold a two-day national security summit to discuss solutions to the rising insecurity in the country.

The decision followed a motion sponsored by Jimoh Ibrahim, senator representing Ondo south, at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday.