Army Equipment Funding: APC Govt Paying Lip Service To Insecurity – ADC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the federal government of paying lips service to security situation in the country following reports that stated that only about seven percent of the Nigerian Army’s budget for security equipment was released in the 2025 fiscal year.

Details of the 2025 budget performance posted on the federal government’s Open Treasury Portal, showed that of the N20.56bn budgeted by the Nigerian Army for the purchase of security equipment, only N1.46bn, representing 7.11%, was disbursed as of December 31, 2025.

The portal also showed that of the N4.52trn total expenditure the army proposed for 2025, N1.17trn or 25.94% was disbursed as of the end of the year. For the Air Force, N238.32bn of its N1.25trn total expenditure was released, representing 19.04%.

The ADC, citing the report, said it was outrageous that, out of N336.76 billion approved for security equipment in the year, only N16.71 billion was released, while nothing was released for key logistics such as transport and aircraft fuel, as well as military barracks.

National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement, added that, at a time when the nation faces 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.

The ADC added that the underfunding of military equipment and operations is responsible for the deteriorating security situation in the country, stressing that the situation has emboldened insurgents and terrorists.

The opposition party also said Boko Haram’s demand of a N5 billion ransom with a 72-hour ultimatum for the recent abduction of over 400 women and children in Ngoshe, Borno State, is evidence that the APC government has lost control of the fight against terror.

ADC further disclosed that, in the month of April 2026 alone, more than N12 billion has been demanded in ransom by various insurgent groups.

“At a time when Nigeria is battling widespread insecurity, this is not just disturbing, it is indefensible. It is yet another example of a government that talks tough on security but fails to back it up with action.

“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 underfunds the very military meant to protect them”

Noting the direct connection between these two realities, the ADC said 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 a weakened security system.

Abdullahi added that when the state looks weak, those who threaten it grow stronger, with devastating consequences for ordinary Nigerians.

The party, while stating that the contract in priorities by the government is even more troubling, stressed that as the military struggled with chronic underfunding, the federal government “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.”

Abdullahi added that 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.

“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,” the party said.