A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Darlington Nwauju, has called for an urgent overhaul of the Interior Ministry budget to address the worsening security situation across Nigeria, particularly in Benue, Enugu, and Ebonyi States.
Nwauju urged the National Assembly to review relevant sections of the Constitution to allow security agencies such as the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) to access funds directly from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF). He also recommended including the NCoS in the national security budget as part of long-term strategies to combat insecurity.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Nwauju emphasized the need for increased budgetary support to strengthen the operations of the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Federal Fire Service, describing these agencies as critical to consolidating national security.
Cross-Border Security Concerns
"The 10th National Assembly must go beyond oversighting for roads and bridges, which I consider too elementary, to proactively inventing ways of tackling societal needs which will help strengthen our democracy," Nwauju stated.
He highlighted the plight of citizens in Benue, parts of Ebonyi, and Enugu states who face existential threats, calling on lawmakers to enact legislation that would better protect lives and properties.
Nwauju also recalled his earlier advocacy from September/October 2024 for integrating the Ministry of Police Affairs into the Ministry of Interior to strengthen national security. He emphasized the need for synergy among the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Customs Service, and the Police in border surveillance operations.
Strategic Recommendations
"Given the fact also that we need to ingeniously implement the Steven Orosanye report, the Police Affairs Ministry should be embedded into the Interior Ministry which has shown capacity in the past 2 years to galvanize the agencies under it and helped evolve these paramilitary agencies into digital platforms," he said.
Nwauju stressed that effectively addressing the security challenges in Benue and other parts of the country requires better control of land borders, which cannot be achieved without adequate funding for relevant agencies.
"With the 40% digitization of land borders so far achieved by the Interior Ministry, pushing it towards the 100% threshold will greatly improve national security but this cannot be achieved without a proper and reasonable budget," he added.
Recent Violence in Benue
The call comes in the wake of a devastating attack in Yelewata community, Yelwata Local Government Area of Benue State, which reportedly claimed over 200 lives and left many others severely injured. The tragedy has displaced thousands of residents in the state, often referred to as the "Food Basket of the Nation."
In response to the attack, President Bola Tinubu visited Benue on Wednesday to express his condolences. During a stakeholders' meeting, the President directed service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to apprehend those responsible for the killings.
Nwauju concluded by emphasizing the urgency of the situation: "We must think security first, think security second and think security third. It is a priority and time is now."
Stay updated with the latest news by following BenriNews on our social media platforms:
