The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar, has requested the House of Representatives to provide additional 50 Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) in the 2025 budget to flush out bandits in the country.
Abubakar made the request yesterday, at the 2025 budget defence session organised by the House Committee on Defence in Abuja.
He said that with the equipment, the fight against banditry in the country would be over in two months.
“The Ministry of Defence is supposed to provide some equipment for some of the zones, but we cannot.
“Out of what we had in 2024, we were only able to provide just 20 Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs),but what can 20 APCs do?
“If we are able to have 50 APCs that can go into the bush to flush out those criminals. I assure you, within two months, we will finish the issue of banditry but there is no provision for that in the 2025 budget.
“I believe this House will consider more funding to the Ministry of Defense, so that we can be able to provide some equipment to some fresh areas of attacks,” he said. The minister said that there was need to review the budget of the ministry to also provide for the welfare of officers and men of the military.
He said that N20 billion is required to address the backlog of the Group Life Insurance for military personnel.
Abubakar said that the ministry has not been able to pay some entitlement for military personnel in theaters of operations, urging the House to squeeze and add more funding to the ministry.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Benson Babajimi (APC-Lagos), said that the request would be considered by the committee.
Babajimi reaffirmed the commitment of the 10th House of Representatives to supporting the Armed Forces in their noble mission.
He said that the House remains steadfast in its resolve to ensure a peaceful, secure and prosperous Nigeria.
According to him, the budget defense is, therefore, not just a legislative exercise but a reaffirmation of our collective responsibility to the Nigerian people.
Babajimi said that over the years, the Armed Forces of Nigeria had demonstrated remarkable commitment and professionalism.
According to him, they achieved significant progress in countering insurgency, terrorism, banditry and other forms of insecurity.
“National Assembly has consistently prioritised the defense sector in the national budget, with increased allocations in recent years.
“However, with these enhanced resources comes a heightened expectation for prudent, transparent and impactful utilization.
“As representatives of the people, it is our duty to ensure that every naira is judiciously spent to strengthen the operational capacity of the Armed Forces and deliver tangible results.
“This year’s budget defense is particularly significant as it comes against the backdrop of evolving global and domestic security threats. These recent developments highlight the need for heightened vigilance and inter-agency collaboration.
“We must leverage intelligence, technology, and best practices to neutralize emerging threats and safeguard our citizens,” he said.
The chairman urged all defense agencies to prioritise strategic initiatives that align with national security objectives.