The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, on Thursday said insurgency persists in the country as a result of lack of resources to address it.
Buratai made this known during the 2018 Budget Defence of the Nigerian Army before the Senate Committee on Army.
He lamented that inadequate funding has seriously handicapped the activities of the Nigerian Army to tackle rising insecurity in the country.
Buratai, who regretted the casualties caused as result of insecurity, said most of the problems would have been tackled effectively if there was adequate resources.
According to him: “Most of security challenges linger as a a result of lack of adequate resources.
“It has caused unnecessary casualties in the country.”
Bruatai told the lawmakers to exclude the Nigerian Army from Envelope Allocation, requesting for inclusion of the Army into first line charge in order to have direct fund to tackle insecurity in the country effectively.
He said: “It does not augur well for government not to release fund for us when there is so much challenges for the Army to tackle.
“The inadequate budgetary allocation, envelope budget system and subsisting partial release of the funds had negatively affected Nigerian Army toward achieving almost secured environment for the citizenry.
“The Nigerian Army is committed to securing the territory of Nigeria from any violation as the clearance operation to rid the country of the remnant of Boko Haram terrorists and other criminal groups.
“Timely and complete implementation of the budget will enhance the fulfilment of his mandate.
“I pray that the sum of N195.5 billion should be approved for the Nigerian Army personnel enrolment in the 2018 budget.
“The sum of N26.1 billion for overhead, while N39.8 billion be approved for capital.”
