PRESS STATEMENT
INSECURITY: SEVEN PERCENT FUNDING OF ARMY EQUIPMENT REFLECTS APC GOVERNMENT’S LIP SERVICE, SAYS ADC
The African Democratic Congress is appalled by recent reports that only about 7 percent of the Nigerian Army’s budget for security equipment has been released in the 2025 fiscal year. Out of the N336.76 billion approved, only a paltry N16.71 billion has reportedly been disbursed, while nothing has been released for critical logistics such as transport, aircraft fuel, and military barracks. At a time when Nigeria is battling widespread insecurity, this is not just disturbing, it is indefensible. It is yet another example of a government that talks tough on security but fails to back it up with action.
Even more alarming is that this disclosure comes as Nigerians confront yet another national tragedy. Reports indicate that over 400 women and children abducted in Ngoshe, Borno State are now the subject of a ₦5 billion ransom demand by Boko Haram, with a 72-hour ultimatum and a chilling threat that the victims may be dispersed and never seen again if the government fails to act. This is the painful reality of our country today: a country where terrorists feel bold enough to issue deadlines to the state; a country where hundreds of citizens can be held hostage while the government underfunds the very military meant to protect them.
The connection between these two realities is direct. When only a fraction of security funds is released, when nothing is provided for logistics like mobility and fuel, and when equipment procurement is delayed, the result is predictable: a weakened security system. And when the state looks weak, those who threaten it grow stronger, with devastating consequences for ordinary Nigerians.
Even more troubling is the contrast in priorities. While the military struggles with chronic underfunding, the federal government has reportedly ensured full funding for the luxurious presidential air fleet enjoyed by President Tinubu and his immediate family, even as military aircraft remain grounded due to a lack of resources. This paints a troubling picture of a government that is more concerned with comfort at the top than safety on the ground.
A government that releases only 7 percent of security equipment funds, and nothing for critical logistics, cannot claim to be serious about winning the war against terror. You cannot starve our brave men and women in uniform of the tools they need and expect them to defeat a determined and well-armed enemy. This is not just a budgeting failure, it is a failure of leadership.
The consequences are clear. Communities remain exposed. Farmers cannot return to their farms. Businesses continue to operate under fear. And now, hundreds of women and children face an uncertain fate in the hands of terrorists.
The ADC believes that security funding must be treated as a first-line responsibility. Budgetary allocations must translate into real, timely releases for equipment, logistics, training, and intelligence. Anything less weakens both the morale of our armed forces and the safety of our people.
Nigeria does not lack resources. What we lack is the discipline to put those resources where they matter most. The ADC stands with the families of those abducted and calls on the federal government to act with urgency, clarity, and resolve to secure their safe return, while addressing the deeper failures that have made such tragedies possible.
The ADC remains committed to building a Nigeria where security is not just promised, but properly funded, carefully managed, and truly delivered.
Signed:
Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi
National Publicity Secretary
African Democratic Congress (ADC)