Increasing Security Salaries and Modern Military Technology Will Halt Nigeria’s Security Challenges – Mazoji

By Abdullahi Muhammad Sheka

Nigeria is currently plagued by diverse criminal activities perpetrated by terrorists and kidnappers. These attacks, once common in the northern part of the country, especially in some parts of Katsina State, are now spreading, with authorities appearing helpless in curbing them.

An elder statesman of the PDP in Katsina State and former senatorial aspirant, Hon. Zaharaddeen Babba Mazoji, highlighted this issue in a recent interaction with journalists.

Babba Mazoji emphasized that kidnapping-for-ransom is now rampant, and terrorists continue to attack and displace helpless villagers in coordinated assaults, leaving many in mourning. The northern part of Nigeria has recorded numerous attacks and kidnappings, with victims paying substantial ransoms in both naira and foreign currencies.

Mazoji noted that despite these attacks, the appointment of both the Minister and State Minister of Defence from the North has proven ineffective under the Tinubu government due to their lack of experience. He argued that anyone appointed as a defense minister should have military training, similar to what occurred during Buhari’s administration, where a well-trained retired general was appointed.

He advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently increase security salaries and allowances and to employ advanced, high-powered technological devices to tackle insecurity. This, he said, would lead to a more effective approach to defense and national security.

Hon. Zaharaddeen Babba Mazoji stated that effective security relies on human intelligence and intelligence gathering through the use of technological devices capable of rescuing Nigeria from its current security challenges.

He added that many states in the country have several forests that terrorists and other criminals use as hideouts. This is compounded by the limited number of security personnel, such as the military and police, who are managing on very low salaries that cannot adequately support their families. He suggested that security personnel, including the army, should have a basic salary of no less than 300,000 naira, along with good allowances for assignments.

Mazoji said, “Apart from the fact that the military does not have enough facilities, the low salaries are a significant issue. One cannot expect a soldier to guard a forest for just N1000. There is an obvious issue of underpaying security personnel, which affects their ability to handle persistent insecurity.”

He advised the government to undergo a massive recruitment drive for military and other security personnel to curtail criminals, especially in the northern states. Each affected state should have no less than 100,000 security personnel to take charge of their respective areas.

Additionally, he stressed the importance of increasing security salaries and allowances to motivate personnel in discharging their duties effectively. This would also provide peace of mind regarding their families’ futures, especially given the persistent increase in food prices that their current salaries cannot accommodate.

He concluded that without implementing this advice, it would be almost impossible to achieve success in the fight against insecurity.