The Nigerian Army has said it was handicapped by paucity of funds in confronting the security challenges confronting the nation.
Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja made the submission on Thursday when he appeared before the joint Committee of Senate and House of Representatives on Army.
General Lagbaja told the Committee led by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua made a passionate appeal to the Committee that the Army should be removed from the Envelope System of Budgeting as he claimed that it has remained a big encumbrance to adequate funding of the Army.
The COAS equally requested for passage of the Armed Forces Trust Fund bill before the end of the 10th Assembly, as well as the Armed Forces Support Trust Fund Bill.
General Lagbaja restated the Nigerian Army’s apology over the loss of lives of innocent civilians at the weekend in Kaduna arising from a military drone which bombed innocent civilians in Tudun Biri in Rigasa District of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Yar’ Adua, in his closing remarks, assured the COAS of expeditious passage of the Army Budget.
He said:” We are assuring you that your budget will be passed, whatever is appropriated. But we will do our oversight. I have confidence in your team that you will do justice to whatever is appropriated for you.”
The Joint Committee of the National Assembly, the Army Chief and his team observed a minute silence in honour of those who lost their lives in the Kaduna bombing by drone that led to the loss of several lives.
The Army Chief presented a budget of N787.2 Billion for 2024 Fiscal year , with personal cost at N647.5billion, Over head cost of N31.6Billion and capital Expenditure of N107.9Billion.
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