Defence Minister Requests Additional 50 APCs to Combat Banditry

Defence Minister Requests Additional 50 APCs to Combat Banditry

The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar, has called on the House of Representatives to allocate funding for an additional 50 Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) in the 2025 budget to effectively combat banditry across the nation. During a budget defense session held by the House Committee on Defence in Abuja on Tuesday, Mr. Abubakar emphasized the urgent need for enhanced military equipment to address the ongoing security challenges.

In his statement, the Defence Minister expressed confidence that with the right resources, the battle against banditry could be resolved within two months. He noted the limitations faced by the Ministry of Defence, having only been able to provide 20 APCs in 2024, which he argued is insufficient for the task at hand. “What can 20 APCs do?” he questioned, stressing the need for a more robust response to the threat.

Mr. Abubakar advocated for the procurement of 50 additional APCs, stating that their deployment would enable military forces to effectively flush out criminals from their hideouts. He assured the committee that with these resources, the government could decisively tackle the issue of banditry.

 However, he pointed out that the current 2025 budget does not make provisions for this essential equipment.