Insecurity: Where is the N1.6trn injected into the Nigerian Army between 2020 and 2022?

By: James Bwala

While debating on the current security challenges in the country, the member representing Gwoza, Damboa and Chibok Federal constituency in the green chamber at the National Assembly, Hon. Ahmed Usman Jaha has put the breakdown of the huge amount of money injected into the Nigerian Army alone to an astonishing N1.6 trillion (One trillion and six hundred billion). This huge amount according to him was made available to prosecute the ongoing conflicts with Boko Haram, ISWAP and Bandits as well as other criminals.

He therefore asked where the money went with the huge security challenges rather increasing in the country. According to him, instead of having some relief the country is going down every day as a result of the continuing threat of insecurity. He alleged that the military is using the insecurity situation in the country as a cash cow.

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What keeps inexplicable on this is that Nigerians no longer know who to believe. Their government, their Pastors or Imams, the security agencies or other organizations that are playing part in the unfolding sad but dramatic situation. This of course, including the media.  The continuing lies from government, the military, organizations and institutions about happenings in the country has turned or encouraged disbelief of whatever comes out to the hearings of an average Nigerian, who still has some conscience. The recent crises in Kaduna state alone gave reasons for more doubt about the sincerity of the Nigerian government and security agencies particularly. 

For example, barely 24 hours after Bandits riding on motorcycle invaded the Kaduna Airport killing a security official and preventing take off of plane, the Bandits forced a Kaduna – Abuja bound train to derail. The Kaduna state governor Malam Nasir El-rufai during an interview with Daily Trust TV said thirty (30) of those Bandits that attacked the Kaduna airport were wiped out in the ensuing gun battle with the Nigerian Troops. I could not, however, remember reporting this. But this however, was not the only issue, the Bandits, barely 24 hours derailed the Kaduna bound train and rain bullets killing many and abducting many. It was reported that about 145 abducted persons could not be reached on their phones as of Monday, April 4, 2022.

The question is, figures keep changing with some sinister intentions. The most troubling fact is that, the victims have their stories, the NRC has its own story, the story from the military is different from that of the Police, hired propagandists are trying hard to defend government positions and the media is divided over flying stories here and there. Indeed this is a sign of confusion and instability of the country. This was also the truth Sheikh Muhammed Nuru Khalid told to powers that evoke his sanction, suspension and sack from the Apo Legislative mosque, where he leads prayers. The news of a new appointment for him was so sweet on Monday, April 4, 2022.

For those who could recall the words of late Dr. Mailafiya while speaking on the security situation in the country. He was specific on the trouble coming to Nigeria in 2022. He affirmed his statement in an interview where he said, “I have PhD from Oxford University and I am a central banker. We don’t speak nonsense.” If anything to go by, we are now seeing senses in what Dr. Mailafiya was coming through. It is rather unfortunate now that he has no more to say. For people like Bishop David Oyedepo and others who stood to tell the truth to power, we have heard and read comments and criticism against them but I think there are men too powerful and unique for the government to tour with.

Nigerians blinded by religious inclination however, are yet to come to terms with the realities on ground. Many are still hiding under religion to back falsehoods. But at least there are people, few amongst many who dare to tell the truth in the face of threats.

Putting the records of spending on the Nigerian Army alone, Hon. Ahmed Jaha, said the Nigerian Army received over N420 billion naira of which only N16 billion is set for Capital expenditure while the remaining N406 billion is for recurrent expenditure. This is also aside the allocation of over N100 billion injected into Operation Lafiya Dole, the military command fighting Boko Haram Insurgency in the northeast in 2020. In 2021, the Nigerian Army alone reportedly collected over N460 billion naira of which about N29 billion is set aside for capital expenditure while the remaining goes for recurrent Expenditure.

Hon. Ahmed Jaha went further to revealed that in 2022 the house budgeted and took delivery of over N571 billion naira to the Nigerian Army for fighting insecurity in the land with only about N37 billion going into capital expenditure while the remaining is going for recurrent Expenditure yet the stories about the ongoing conflicts, crises and banditry in the country sore the more.

“Now that there is more attention on the northeast, they have shifted their activities to the northwest. Very soon they may move to the southwest and eventually make the country ungovernable. “Hon. Jaha stated while describing the huge spending on the prosecution of the ongoing conflicts and the security issues in Nigeria, which he said had described a cash cow business.

One wonders why such succeeding and successful Bandits and Boko Haram activities are selling in a place like Kaduna state, which is the bed of security operations in the country? The last time a shocking activity of the Bandits hit Nigerians from the news stand was the attack on Nigerian Defence Academy-NDA where Bandits took the heart of the Nigerian military enclave and abducted officers on study. This dramatic and rather shameful visitation on the military has continued to put to question the capacity and capabilities of the Nigerian security arrangements as most Nigerians have lost faith in the power of the Nigerian security to protect life and property.

Unless the government controls the racketeering of the selling of train tickets by touts especially in Kaduna state, the situation experienced may soon be so common. According to victims of the train attack, the ill-fated train had some passengers standing because there was no seat. That means the train was overflowing. The NRC said the train capacity was 840. This could perhaps confirm the claims earlier that this train was carrying 970 passengers. On the train manifest we were told that only 362 Passengers actually booked to travel that evening on Monday – a journey to eternity for some passengers.

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Again I was reading reports claiming that NRC confirms the safety of I70 Passengers, while 21 others are still missing. The other day both the government and NRC agreed to tell Nigerians that eight (8) Passengers were killed while forty or more injured. But we also learnt that the APC leader and former Lagos state governor, Ahmed Bola Tinubu cancelled his 13^th colloquium to honour his 70^th Birthday owing to the train attack where he said over 60 Passengers were killed. So much for an answer.

I was also discussing recently with a senior officer in one of the security agencies in the country. I draw his attention to the patrol taken by the Inspection General of Police on the 163km Expressway between Abuja and Kaduna. In a statement I received, the IGP moved a police tactical squad to black spots along the Abuja – Kaduna Expressway to save travelers due to the incidents that happened with the ill-fated train. I asked the Senior Officer a casual question. Who are the travelers? Although he could not give me a direct answer, I understand that he had pondered my questions well.

There are no flights to Kaduna, the train is down, the only hope to travel for the high and might rest on the only road they left years ago for the common man. This road had sucked more blood and still not satisfied due to the recklessness of the Nigerian authorities. Now the only way to go all and the need to safeguard it. But I ask, is Nigeria on the stage to entertain the world with the blood of its citizens? Just like I traveled the Maiduguri-Damaturu road, I did that of Abuja -Kaduna severally and just as the hopeless Nigerians would always say in God’s Hands we go and His Hands shall bring us back. But I think Hon. Ahmed Jaha was making sense.

Insecurity: Where is the N1.6trn injected into the Nigerian Army between 2020 and 2022?