The Acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has solicited for the support of the Senate for increase in budgetary allocation for the Nigerian Army to enable it provide more conducive accommodation for soldiers and to acquire modern combat enablers.
Lt. General Oluyede made the appeal today, Monday, 25th November, 2024 when he received the Senate Committee on Army led by Sen. Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua on a condolence visit to the army headquarters in Abuja.
The COAS explained that with new technology, the Nigerian Army if its budgetary allocation is increased, it would enhance troops’ effectiveness in the conduct of ongoing operations across the country.
He lamented that the allocation giving to the Nigerian Army has been dwindling despite rising number of recruitments from 10,000 to 15,000 personnel yearly but is yet to provide commensurate accommodation to house them.
"First, the Nigerian Army. For instance, in the last couple of years, we've been recruiting about 15,000 personnel. But I can tell you that not a single support has been given in terms of the accommodation,".
“It is important for me to reiterate that Nigeria belongs to all of us and without your support, it would be very difficult for us to secure Nigeria. I want to really appeal to you, very eminent personality of Nigeria, to just please support us and make our job very easy so that we can help secure Nigeria as much as possible.
“Well, over time, we have had situations where the resources that are attributed to the Nigerian army keeps dwindling. So I think this is a very good forum for me to appeal that maybe in considering next year's budget, a few very important issues should be noted.
Earlier, the Chairman Senate Committee on Army, Senator bdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua described late Army Chief Lt-Gen Taoreed Lagbaja as a "very practical officer" and and "says it as it is" a very knowledgeable of military Operations.
Senator Yar'Adua charged the Acting COAS to continue with the legacy of the late Army Chief Lt-Gen Taoreed Lagbaja.
The Committee chairman assured the acting COAS of support for him to continue with the legacy of Lagbaja, and urged the Army to deploy technology in the fight against terrorism.