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From Ndubuisi Orji,, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has berated the Federal Government for allegedly releasing only 7 percent of the Nigerian Army’s budget for security equipment in 2025.
The ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said it was outrageous that of N336.76 billion approved for security equipment in 2015, only a paltry N16.71 billion was reportedly released while there were no releases for key logistics such as transport and aircraft fuel, as well as military barracks.
The opposition party lamented that at a time when the country is confronted with unprecedented security challenges, the Federal Government chose to concentrate resources on the maintenance of the presidential fleet while military aircraft languish due to a lack of funds.
It noted that “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 under-funds 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.”
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The opposition party, which stated that security funding must be on first line charge, noted that the country does not lack resources, but the discipline to put the resources where they matter most.
“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.”
Meanwhile , a group of ADC stakeholders has taken a swipe at the APC over the state of the nation, saying the next president will inherit a country in distress.
The stakeholders on the aegis of Team Rebuild Nigeria, said the country needs a leader who is grounded in economics and governance to take over from President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
The leader, Chimezie Ebekuo, at a press briefing, in Abuja, called on former presidential aspirant, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, to consider joining the contest for the ADC presidential ticket for the next general election.
“The next president of Nigeria will inherit an economy in distress, a security architecture in collapse, and institutions that have been systematically weakened.
“Fixing this will require more than goodwill and good intentions. It will require someone who understands how economies are rebuilt, how institutions are strengthened, and how trust between a government and its people is restored.
“We are therefore calling for the most prepared Aspirant. A detribalized, competent leader who can unify the opposition, command the confidence of citizens, and do the hard work of national recovery.
“We call on Mohammed Hayatu-Deen to bring his extraordinary record of economic leadership and public service to the highest office in the land. And we pledge that if he answers this call, he will not stand alone. Nigeria does not need another lesson in the cost of choosing wrongly. It is time to rebuild.”
