The Olowu of Owu-Kuta and Chairman, Owu-In-Council, Oba Adekunle Oyelude has charged the Federal Government to increase budgetary allocation to the Nigeria Army to help it prosecutes war against insurgency and banditry effectively.
Recently, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, while defending the 2022 budget before the senate committee on Army, appealed to the federal government that the sum of ₦579billion approved for the Nigerian Army for 2022 fiscal year as against the ₦710billion proposed by the military outfit was inadequate to fight terrorism and banditry in the country.
The Olowu of Owu-Kuta and Chairman, Owu-In-Council, Oba Adekunle Oyelude, reacting to this development, said giving the growing rate of insecurity in the country, it is important that government prioritize the safety of citizens by investing in security and the defence of the nation’s integrity.
The monarch said the current state of economy, the rise in dollar against the naira will have accounted for high in price of hardware and anything the army may want to get, and this will cost more.
He described the approved allocation to the Nigerian Army as meagre and called on the government for a review considering the realities of the security challenges in the nation.
The traditional ruler who also advised the Nigerian government to maximise international relations opportunities to tackle insecurity, however believe the security situation in the country will be addressed and charged Nigerians to partner with government in addressing security challenges.
