Chairman Senate Committee on Army, Mohammed Ndume, has called for improved budgetary allocation for the Nigerian Army to tackle banditry and insurgency.

Mr Ndume made this known on Monday while presenting his committee’s report of the 2022 Budget of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

He said that as the nation battled with heightening banditry and kidnappings, more funding through appropriation was needed to win the war.

“Nigerian army needs more funds to win the war. They need arms and ammunition and their regular allowances paid.

“And, they need to get the kind of money they need to prosecute this war in time, the earlier the better.

“So, if you give somebody what he needs, then he is equipped to do the job, but if you give him in bits, it means he will be doing the job in bits.

“And in bits, it will take time, and the committee and everyone, including the media, have been giving us the necessary support,” he said.

“Because of the situation we find ourselves in this country these days were the army is drafted into unconventional war everywhere in 32 states, there is the need to properly fund them.

“And, therefore, there is a humongous increase in their overhead. But the capital aspect of it is grossly inadequate. No matter what you do if they don’t have the arms, ammunition, then the war cannot be effectively executed.

“We are here to ask for increase in the capital component of the Nigerian Army so that they will have the necessary resources and tools to prosecute the war they are engaged, the unconventional war everywhere,” the senator said.

(NAN)