By Zainab Bakare and Jumoke Abubakar
Chairman of the Committee on the North-West Region, Babangida Uba, has called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s security architecture and legislative oversight system to address worsening insecurity across the country.
Speaking at a Sabbatical Valedictory Lecture organised by the Department of Economic and Social Research at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies in Abuja, the senator said weak accountability structures and poor resource management continue to undermine security operations.
Uba said his experience as Permanent Secretary Federal Minister of Defence in 2020 exposed major funding and accounting challenges within the defence sector.
According to him, Nigeria must strengthen financial accountability, improve procurement systems, and ensure efficient management of security resources to tackle growing threats across the country.
North-West Insecurity Demands Stronger Oversight
The senator expressed concern over the worsening security crisis in the North-West, describing the region as one of the country’s most vulnerable areas due to poverty, insecurity, environmental pressure, and population growth.
He noted that states including Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna continue to face recurring attacks linked to banditry, kidnapping, and ransom-related crimes.
Uba stressed the need for stronger legislative oversight, improved inter-agency coordination, and increased support for security agencies operating in conflict-prone communities.
He also advocated reforms in political party administration and continuous training for lawmakers to improve governance and oversight responsibilities.
Correctional Service Seeks Data-Driven Financing Model
Also speaking at the event, the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, represented by Deputy Controller-General Barrister Ibrahim Idris, called for reforms in correctional financing and administration.
Idris said the Service supports a transition from traditional envelope-based budgeting to more flexible and data-driven financing models capable of improving operational efficiency.
He explained that the approach would strengthen inmate welfare, logistics management, and institutional administration across correctional facilities.
According to him, the non-custodial measures introduced through the 2019 legislation have reduced inmate populations from about 90,000 to slightly above 70,000 despite funding challenges.
He noted that the reforms have helped the Federal Government reduce correctional management costs significantly.
NILDS Advocates Smarter Security Financing
Director-General of NILDS, Abubakar Sulaiman, said the increasing complexity of security threats requires Nigeria to move away from conventional budgeting systems toward data-driven and risk-sensitive financing models.
Speaking on the lecture theme, “Optimising Security Sector Financing in Nigeria: A Stochastic Framework for Legislative Oversight and Resource Efficiency,” Sulaiman said transparency, accountability, and efficiency must become central to security spending.
He disclosed that approval was granted in 2023 for the establishment of a Centre for Legislative Security Analysis to strengthen oversight within the security sector.
Sulaiman, however, expressed concern over inadequate funding for the Institute despite its expanding national and international responsibilities.
Calls for Smarter Resource Allocation
Earlier, Acting Director of the Department of Economic and Social Research, Augustine Osigwe, described the lecture as timely in view of Nigeria’s growing security and fiscal challenges.
Osigwe stressed the importance of evidence-based research, smarter resource allocation, and stronger oversight systems in addressing national security concerns.
The event attracted representatives from paramilitary organisations, civil society groups, academics, and stakeholders in governance and security sectors.
