President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday
forwarded a letter to the National Assembly,
asking the lawmakers to urgently approve a
$1bn external loan for the Federal Government to
confront the terrorist Islamic sect, Boko Haram.
The letter dated July 15, 2014, was read on the
floor of the Senate and that of the House of
Representatives on Wednesday, by the Senate
President David Mark and Speaker Aminu
Tambuwal respectively.
In the letter, Jonathan explained that the
external loan was urgently needed to upgrade the
equipment, training and logistics of the Armed
Forces and security services in order to enable
them to confront the insurgents more forcefully.
The letter titled, “Tackling Ongoing Security
Challenges: Need for Urgent Action”, read in part,
“You are no doubt cognisant of the ongoing and
serious security challenges which the
nation is facing , as typified by the Boko Haram
terrorist threat. This is an issue that we have
discussed at various times.
“I would like to bring to your attention the urgent
need to upgrade the equipment, training and
logistics of our Armed Forces and Security
Services to enable them more forcefully to
confront this serious threat.
“For this reason, I seek the concurrence of the
National Assembly for external borrowing of not
more than $1bn, including government to
government arrangements for this upgrade.”
The National Assembly had in the N4.6tn 2014
Budget provisions, appropriated N968.127bn for
Defence on account of the Boko Haram
insurgency.
The request may be considered today (Thursday)
on account of its urgency because both
chambers of the National Assembly may embark
on their annual long recess today till the end of
September 2014.
Also, speaking at the inauguration of the
Theophilus Danjuma-led Victims Support Fund
Committee, the President said he promised
Nigerians that the government would be
victorious in the war against insurgency.
“We owe Nigerians nothing but victory over
terror. The life of every Nigerian is precious and
we will continue to work round the clock to put
an end to this insurgency,” Jonathan said.
The President said the country was confronted
with individuals whose minds had been so
twisted and tutored to believe they were doing
God a service by killing and maiming.
He said the inauguration of the support fund was
to kick-start the process of providing succour to
the people who had been directly affected one
way or the other by acts of terrorism in the
country.
The President said, “The year 2009 appears to
be a tragic turning point. Boko Haram, an
assemblage of heartless individuals, took it upon
itself to bring evil upon our country. They have,
in their mission, turned women to widows and
reduced children to orphans.
“They have killed and maimed and struck fear
into law-abiding citizens. They have destroyed
villages, attacked property and terminated
people’s livelihoods without a care in the world.
They have engaged our security agencies in a
meaningless warfare that has wasted
unimaginable human and material resources.
“The reality today is that we are confronted with
individuals whose minds have been so twisted
and tutored to believe they are doing God a
service.”
The President said those who have been victims
of terror needed comfort and succour.
He said, “We cannot replace the life of a child
that has been snuffed out. We cannot replace the
lives of men and women who have been killed.
We cannot return broken limbs to their original
state. We cannot take away the trauma that
people have been put through.
“Their memories are scared, some for the rest of
their lives, over what they knew nothing about.
The best we can do in this circumstance is to
offer them a shoulder to lean on and to stretch
out our hands of fellowship to them and tell
them we feel their pains and share in their
sorrow.
“The Victim Support Fund Committee is part of
our ongoing efforts to provide a comprehensive
solution to the menace. This Government is
determined to resolve this crisis.”
Also at the occasion, the National Security
Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), said
Danjuma was not the first senior Nigerian that
would challenge the government on the
insurgency, saying some former Heads of State
had told the President the same thing.
Dasuki said the government was ready to draw
the battle line.
“I assure Nigerians that we will win the war. But
there are some very hard choices that would
have to be made. We have so far been more
concerned about the lives of a few versus the
condition of a few million. The decision has to be
made soon,” he said.

www.punchng.com/news/president-seeks-1bn-loan-to-fight-boko-haram/

What happen to the 10billion missing money

jeffizy: Tackling the terrorist group remains the number one priority of Nigeria. Whatever means employed towards achieving this is welcomed by me.

Nonsense. The government only make money out of unfortunate happenings in Nigeria. This country is rich and we don't need any loan from anywhere. The politicians embezzle these monies. They are thieves for all I care.

jeffizy:
I don't dispute your point. But for once, it is not money borrowed for centenary celebration and the usual merry-go-round.
So I think I will just be positive on this one this time.

Bros, they are looting the country on the excuse and expense of terrorism. No wonder govt had been inept all along in the fight against terrorism. If the US military could come out to say Nigerian military is 'incompetent' is this loan what would make them 'competent'? It's all politics bro. It's all 'polithieving'