Six-Month Report: N1tn Spent on Fighting Insecurity

A report highlights that N1tn was spent on efforts to fight insecurity within the last six months.

Between January and June 2024, a sum of N1.03tn was dispensed by the Federal Government in aid of enhancing efforts to combat insecurity and terrorism.

Our correspondent obtained the budget implementation report for H1 2024 through Open Treasury, which monitors government spending. The disbursement rate is 42.80% of N2.41tn, leaving a balance of N1.38tn.

Findings reveal that in spite of the significant expenditure made, a total of 5,801 Nigerian individuals lost their lives to terrorist attacks while another 4,348 citizens were kidnapped within the first seven months of 2024.

According to information obtained from Beacon Consulting, an Indigenous intelligence agency, fatalities were documented during numerous attacks that occurred in 574 Local Government Areas throughout the nation.

The North-East zone had the highest casualties, with 2,223 individuals killed out of a total of 1,609 deaths and 614 kidnappings across 88 Local Government councils. This accounts for roughly one-third (33%) of all incidents recorded by geopolitical zones.

Over in the North-West region, 125 local governments documented incidents resulting in the fatal passing of 2,023 individuals alongside an additional tally of 2,607 abductions.

A total of 96 councils in the North-Central region reported occurrences, resulting in 1,102 fatalities and 847 abductions.

In the South-West, 106 councils were affected by attacks resulting in 434 fatalities and 93 abductions. Similarly, there were reports of violence in the South-South where a total of 275 deaths and 145 kidnappings occurred across 81 councils.

Across 78 Local Government Areas in the South-East region, there were reports of 358 fatalities and 42 abductions.

The Nigerian society has been greatly impeded in achieving socio-economic progress due to the prevalence of insecurity, which affects various areas of life across the nation. The menace of violence and criminal activities emerges from different origins such as terrorism, banditry, cattle rustling and abduction for ransom purposes.

Even though the government has vowed to combat this threat with sophisticated attack equipment, insurgents continue to operate without much difficulty. Even though there has been a reduction in attacks and fatalities, their consistent presence underscores the current difficulties of achieving complete security.

During the first half of the budget year 2024, Ministries, Departments and Agencies received N9.53tn from the Federal Government as their allocated funds.

According to the figure, N29.3tn remains after disbursing 24% of the total appropriation of N38.83tn.

Open Treasury, a website that monitors government spending, has revealed data indicating that between January and June 2024, over 500 MDAs received disbursed funds for their operations and infrastructure development in the country.

Amidst reports of inadequate funding by the government to MDAs, this development came about.

The government has yet to start implementing the capital component of the 2024 national budget, as confirmed by Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein, who is the Accountant-General of the Federation.

After consulting with Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, as well as Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, she confirmed that they have decided to proceed with implementing the 2023 budget.

The predicament could potentially hinder the alignment of the government’s January-December budget cycle with its national development plan for 2021-2025.

Upon analyzing the data, it was discovered that the Ministry of Finance had been granted N13.43tn but only dispensed 36.94% of this amount totaling to N4.96tn which ranked them first on the list with a remainder balance of N8.47tn yet to be approved for expenditure purposes .

The finance ministry’s rise in allocation is probably because of its responsibility to pay salaries.

The defence ministry made a payment of N1.03tn, resulting in a disbursement rate of 42.80 per cent from its initial allocation of N2.41tn and leaving behind N1.38tn as balance funds.