Ndume urges FG to scale back NASS activities, redirect savings to national security

Senator Ali Ndume of Borno South has called on the Federal Government to drastically trim expenses attached to the National Assembly and other non-essential government operations, arguing that the country must prioritise security above every other consideration amid escalating threats nationwide.

Speaking during an appearance on Thursday on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, the senator said Nigeria’s current fiscal approach funds institutions that benefit only a small percentage of citizens while security structures remain overstretched and under-resourced.

Ndume suggested that lawmakers scale back their plenary sessions to only a few sittings per year.

He noted that remuneration could be adjusted to reflect the reduced workload.

According to him, the change would free up funds needed to confront the growing wave of terrorist activities, kidnappings, and violent crime.

The senator criticised the continuation of recurrent spending in the 2025 financial year despite the yet-to-be-finalised budget.

He questioned why significant public resources should service overheads that have “little or no direct impact on over 95 per cent of the population.”

He argued that suspending certain government operations temporarily could help channel substantial funds toward restoring security.

“Our country is in a state of emergency.

”Every available resource should be directed toward safeguarding lives before anything else.”

When asked whether such a position might anger fellow lawmakers, Ndume dismissed concerns, saying he had never shied away from controversy and would not hesitate to speak difficult truths.

He clarified that he was not advocating for a full shutdown of the National Assembly, but for a realistic review of its activities in line with the seriousness of the national security threat.

According to him, many legislators would support measures that help redirect resources to security agencies if the situation is clearly explained.

Ndume also drew attention to what he described as Nigeria’s inadequate technological capabilities for combating terrorism.

He lamented that the country has too few operational satellites, leaving security agencies unable to track criminals or respond quickly to incidents.

He cited recent security lapses—including cases of missing military personnel to illustrate the gaps in monitoring capacity.

“We cannot secure a nation in this kind of environment when even real-time tracking is almost impossible,” he argued.

His comments came a day after President Bola Tinubu declared a national security emergency, citing mounting attacks and repeated abductions in several regions.

In a statement personally signed by the president, the Federal Government announced an immediate expansion of the Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police Force.

The police are expected to enlist an additional 20,000 officers, raising the new recruitment drive to 50,000 personnel in total.

The president said the extraordinary measure was necessary to stabilise the country and reclaim communities affected by insurgents and armed criminal groups.