Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle has appealed for increased collaboration and funding for the Defence sector to effectively combat and eliminate banditry and other forms of criminality across the nation.
The Minister made this appeal during the presentation of the 2025 Budget Proposal for the Ministry of Defence to the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Defence at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
Matawalle underscored the importance of robust collaboration with lawmakers, commending the unwavering commitment and cooperative efforts of both the House and Senate Committees on Defence.
In a statement by Daberechi Asonye for the Director Information, Ministry of Defence, the minister said the National Assembly’s steadfast support has been instrumental in the ministry’s achievements to date.
Addressing the critical issue of funding, he described the current budget as insufficient, given the modern security challenges faced by the nation.
He said “with the right equipment, we can significantly resolve the battle against banditry”.
Matawalle stated further that the Ministry of Defence is tasked with providing essential equipment to various regions, a goal that remains unfulfilled due to budget constraints.
He said, “In 2024, we were only able to procure some Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs). We need more APCs to tackle insecurity swiftly”.
The Minister expressed his hope that the legislative bodies would consider increasing the budget allocation for the Ministry of Defence, enabling the provision of necessary equipment to areas experiencing fresh attacks and facilitating a decisive action against banditry.
He expressed gratitude to the leadership of the committees for their continued support, emphasising that their cooperation has significantly contributed to the ministry’s progress.
The statement added that the leadership of the committees in response assured Matawalle of their ongoing collaboration with the Ministry of Defence to successful realise President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope mantra.