The Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Army have assured that adequate budgetary funding would be given to Nigerian Army troops in the ongoing war against insurgency and banditry.
This assurance was given when the Senate Committee on Army visited the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru at the Army Headquarters in Abuja. The committee members were led by the Senate Committee Chairman on Army, Senator Ali Ndume.
Speaking during the visit, Senator Ndume said the visit was necessitated by the need to acquaint the recently appointed Army Chief with the observations and findings of the Senate Army Committee members during their oversight visits to Nigerian Army formations and units across the country.
In his response, the Army Chief
thanked the committee members for the visit which he described as
timely and necessary. He added that the visit would afford the leadership of Nigerian Army the opportunity to interact and discuss important issues that would impact positively on activities and operations of the Army.
General Attahiru further said that
the visit would also strengthen the
existing cordial relationship between Nigerian Army and the National Assembly. He also stressed that Nigerian Army would need more equipment such as armoured fighting vehicles and various combat enablers to confront insurgency and other security threats across the country.
Similarly, the House of Representatives Committee on Army has also paid a familiarization visit on the Chief of Army Staff. The committee members were led by the House Committee Chairman on Army, Hon. Abdulrazaq Namdas and his deputy, Hon. Tajudeen Adefisoye.
Members of the committee assured the Army Chief that all necessary legislative support would be given to the Army as more of the personnel get involved in various internal security operations. The House Committee on Army also assured that sufficient budgetary provision would be made for the Army for the procurement of more modern hardware weaponry and to take care of pressing logistics needs of the Army personnel.
Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry has likewise assured Nigerian Army of adequate support in the fight against terrorism, banditry and other security challenges currently confronting Nigeria. The assurance was given on behalf of the Minister of Defence by the Permanent Secretary in charge of the Ministry,
Dr Musa Istifanus when he visited the Chief of Army Staff at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.