‘They are not magicians’ – Lawan demands funding for Nigerian military

The senator representing Yobe North, Senator Ahmed Lawan, has called for improved funding and timely release of resources to Nigeria’s armed forces and security agencies, warning that the country’s security personnel cannot effectively tackle insecurity without adequate support.

He stated this while speaking during a plenary session on Thursday. Lawan stressed that soldiers and security operatives confronting criminals across the country require proper equipment and resources to carry out their duties.

“Our armed forces and our security agencies could not get the basic resources to deal with the insecurity. They are not magicians; there is hardly anything anyone could do if you’re not properly armed to face these criminals,” he said.

The lawmaker urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the government to ensure that funds approved for the military are released promptly to support ongoing operations against insecurity.

“So Mr. President, working with the government, needs to look at funding and the release of resources to our armed forces in good time. Otherwise, our soldiers are killed,” Lawan stated.

He acknowledged that the president and the National Assembly have made efforts to support the military but suggested that bureaucratic delays may be hindering the effective deployment of resources.

“I believe that the president himself has done so much while supporting and giving more resources, and this National Assembly has supported that, but somewhere along the line the resources are not released, and I believe that this is a major issue towards the military,” he added.

Lawan also said that while soldiers may not be in a position to openly demand better support, lawmakers must speak on their behalf.

“Even though they are not supposed to be talking, we are supposed to talk on their behalf,” he said.

He further cautioned that symbolic gestures alone would not solve the country’s security challenges.

“My distinguished colleagues, we may be standing here for one-minute silence every day, but that won’t solve the problem. In fact, we will be happier if we consider other means and other ways of enabling our armed forces and security agencies,” Lawan said.

The senator called for urgent measures to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and ensure that troops on the frontlines are adequately equipped to combat criminal elements across the country.

‘They are not magicians’ – Lawan demands funding for Nigerian military