Rights group decries poor budgetary provision for military

A coalition Of Civil Society groups (CSOs) has expressed concern over the appalling budgetary provision for Armed Forces, who fight terrorism and criminalities in the country.

The group’s Convener, Prince Danesi Momoh, urged the Federal Government to provide adequate funds for them, maintaining that the military is grossly underfunded, when compared with defence budgets in sub-Saharan African and Asian countries.

The group noted: “We need to have a country, and be safe in it, before we can discuss any other thing. This is a matter of dire urgency. The Nigerian military need and deserve to be well- funded. 

“The Office of the National Security Adviser should work with Chief of Defence Staff to prepare key performance indicators for the service chiefs. 

“We must measure what really matters, as a way to project a response for credible options. The relevant questions to ask are: What is the milestone for service chiefs? Are they meeting up with it? Will a replacement enhance military operations and security stability? All these questions still remain a theory, if key performance indicators are not matched with stable funding…”