The Federal Government has allocated N1.35 trillion to fund the on-going anti-insurgency war in the country, as the fight against insecurity continues.
This was included in the N20.51 trillion 2023 Budget plan that President Muhammadu Buhari presented to the National Assembly on Friday.
The Budget estimates revealed that the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces had been allotted more than N1.248 trillion to fight Boko Haram, bandits, and other anti-insurgency campaigns in the 2023 Appropriation Bill. Out of this amount, labour expenses would consume almost N1 trillion; overhead costs will consume N90, 961 billion; and capital expenditures will consume N156, 294 billion.
The Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, and Nigerian Navy will receive N638.1b, N174.4b, and N158.7b, respectively, of the total amount allocated to 18 military and defence agencies. The three forces received the largest portion of the record-breaking military budget.
The Nigerian Army has a budget of N638.1 billion, of which N581 billion is budgeted for personnel wages, N24.6 billion for overhead, and N32.3 billion for capital. The Nigerian Air Force budgeted N108.3 billion for personnel costs, N15.4 billion for administrative expenses, and N50.6 billion for capital projects.
President Buhari assured Nigerians that ?insecurity, especially banditry and kidnapping, will be significantly curtailed before the end of this administration.
The move to give priority to fighting insecurity has become imperative in view of the rising scourge of kidnappings and banditry in the country.
