No investment in security, armed forces is too much — Senate

The Senate Committee on Defence says no investment in security and the Armed Forces of Nigeria will be too much for the country to bear.

The committee’s Chairman, Sen. Ahmad Lawal, said this while speaking to newsmen after an oversight visit to the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, in Kaduna on Monday.

Lawal said that currently, everything revolves around security, promising to ensure that the nation’s security and armed forces continue to receive the attention that currently befits them.

“When we are able to secure our environment, then we can provide other things easily and comfortably,” he said.

Lawal stated that at the Senate, they consider the AFCSC as one of the most important institutions that provides training and education for the nation’s military.

”This is at both tactical, operational, and mid-level for officers that lead various military operations,” he said.

Lawal, therefore, said in such light, a conduciveenvironment was needed to achieve the desired goal at all costs.

“There has to be significant funding in the funding of the AFCSC and other defence institutions like the NDA and National Defence College.

“I say this with all sense of responsibility, because this is where other people from different parts of the world come to receive training.

”This gives it a clear testimony that what we do is in the right direction, he said

The committee chairman emphasised that the institutions must be encouraged to continue to provide the services it do.

He, therefore, said in the 2025 appropriations, the National Assembly should be able to provide more funding for the institutions and security agencies across the country.

“This is supposed to be what is most important for us as a country today, he said.

Lawal congratulated the AFCSC Commandant and his predecessors for working tirelessly towards building the institution since its establishment over the years.