In the 2024 budget, the Federal Government set aside a record-breaking N4.91 trillion for security, demonstrating its dedication to tackling Nigeria’s urgent insecurity issues. The goal of this large investment is to enable the military and other security forces to retake areas that are now occupied by criminal organisations and rebels.
The amount, which amounts to about 25% of the national budget, reflects how urgent it is to bring stability back to the entire nation. The government claims that the money would be utilised to boost information collection, buy new weapons, and improve security personnel’s well-being. Additionally, the rehabilitation of internally displaced people (IDPs) and the reconstruction of infrastructure in liberated areas will be prioritised.
The action has been applauded by defence specialists, who point out that prior underfunding of security services hindered their capacity to successfully combat threats from armed bandits, ISWAP, and Boko Haram. However, considering Nigeria’s history of corruption in defence spending, they also emphasise the necessity of accountability in the way the monies are managed.
Although the budget is praiseworthy, detractors contend that it needs to be combined with an all-encompassing plan to address the underlying causes of insecurity, which include unemployment, poverty, and poor governance in impacted areas. The government, security forces, and local communities must work together and execute this plan transparently for it to be successful.
People are expecting that the increased spending would result in observable outcomes, such as safer communities and the resurgence of economic activity in conflict-ridden areas, as the government steps up attempts to recover conquered territories.
