By Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, has urged parliaments worldwide to back their Ministries of Defence with smart budgeting to tackle global insecurity.
He shared this view during a presentation on Power and Insecurity at the 150th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Uzbekistan.
Ibrahim called for a fresh look at defence spending. “The central question for governments and security agencies should be: security for whom, when, and how?” he said. He argued that understanding the complex systems affecting power and stability is key to fighting insecurity.
He linked poverty to rising threats. “Failure to address poverty will continue to worsen insecurity,” he warned. “I saw fear within government leadership, leading to unprecedented crises and heightened insecurity.” Ibrahim pressed governments to muster the courage to face societal fears and systemic flaws, noting, “Life is increasingly tricky amid this struggle, yet we still maintain a defence structure. It is only a matter of time before one of these emotions—fear or courage—prevails.”
The senator stressed balanced oversight. He said parliaments must monitor defence budgets without undermining security, pushing for teamwork with defence bodies to ensure funds are used well. “The primary concern for parliaments should be the creation and management of effective systems and processes to combat fraud in security-related spending,” he added.
Ibrahim concluded that a united, strategic global approach to defence budgets is vital to counter growing risks to national and international safety.