2013 Budget: Police Ministry Proposes to spend N2.8 billion on Anti-terrorism

The Nigeria Police Force has proposed to spend about N2.8bn next year to fight terrorism in the country.

Minister of Police Affairs, Affairs, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubode (retd.), in his defence before the house committee on police affairs said, the money would be spent on procurement of anti-terrorism equipment and other logistics.

The minister came before the house precisely on Monday, yesterday to defend the N341.6bn budget proposal for the Police in 2013.

According to Olubode the police has mapped out every strategy to intensify “training in areas of emerging security challenges (particularly terrorism) necessitating the need to develop the capability of the force to respond appropriately” in the coming year.

In response, the members of the committee, headed by Mr. Usman Bello-Kumo, commended the minister for taking the terrorism challenge critically.

Bello-Kumo said, “With what is happening now, we are left with no option than to give the police the much needed support to fight terrorism.

“They need more funding to enable them to purchase sophisticated and latest equipment to protect life and property of Nigerians and their offices and formations.

“Terrorism cannot be tackled with archaic method of crime fighting.”

According to the anti-terrorism budget, 10 states would get Explosives Ordinance Disposal Units next year.

The states are Lagos, Bauchi, Abia, Gombe, Jigawa, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Niger, Taraba, and Zamfara.

In the meantime, The Federal Government said it would beef up security at the boarders by using new technologies- satellite surveillance to hold back smuggling of arms and ammunitions into the country.

The Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yarima Ngama, said this on Monday in Katsina at the opening of the 2012 Comptroller-General of Customs Annual Conference.