Insecurity: Don’t delay releases of Defence budget, Senate warns Executive

The Executive arm of government has been warned against delay in full release of funds that will be allocated to the Defence ministry in the 2026 budget.

The Senate insisted that all funds as would be appropriated to the ministry must be released with dispatch to enable the Nigerian armed forces combat seething security challenges across regions of the country, particularly large scale terrorism.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Ahmad Lawan at the budget defence session of the ministry said full release of defence budget will enable the troops across forces prosecute the anti- terrorism war and drastically reduce the challenges of insecurity in the country.

Lawan as well demanded from the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, the full and timely implementation of the defence budget.

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The former Senate President declared that defence spending could not be postponed, adding that delay in releases of funds to the security agencies could undermine the government’s efforts to tackle the activities of kidnappers, bandits and terrorists in the country.

He reiterated the determination of the Senate to ensure improved performance and transparency in defence spending. “We are prepared on this side of government to ensure that our Armed Forces are given the resources they need,” he said.

Emphasizing that defence spending could not be postponed, he said: “It is defence; you cannot postpone the implementation of the defence budget because that gives an edge to the enemy. We have to insist that our armed forces and other security agencies have their budgets implemented to secure the lives of Nigerians.

“They need the tools and weapons to fight. If we can provide those, we are committed to giving them the means to effectively combat insecurity.”

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Lawan, however, decried the slow pace of implementing the 2025 budget, wondering how the government would deal with the proposal for 2026.

In his presentation, General Musa acknowledged the persistent security challenges across the country but reassured lawmakers that the ministry remains committed to improving its performance despite existing difficulties.

“Challenges are still there, but we are hoping to do better,” he said, stressing that progress so far was made possible by the support and cooperation of the National Assembly.