Monday, March 23, 2015

How Corruption And Policy Decisions Help To Starve The Nigerian Military So that It Is unable To Fight Boko Haram



Al Jazeera: Corruption blights Nigerian army's fight against rebels

As the country approaches elections, we uncover why successive governments have starved the military of cash.

Once the best military in West Africa, Nigeria's army is now struggling to fend off the threat of Boko Haram.

From 2001 to 2012 the military received $19bn. Yearly, that is only about one percent of GDP, even falling to half a percent in 2006. On average, nations typically spend around two percent of GDP.

But in 2014, Nigeria spent $5.8bn on security, a quarter of the total budget.

WNU Editor: Corruption .... from top to bottom .... is one of the main reasons why the Nigerian army has failed in its war against Boko Haram. Throw in a long history of military coups .... I can understand why there is a reluctance for civilian authorities to support the military. Unfortunately .... Boko Haram's rise has changed the dynamics on the ground completely .... a strong and discipline military is a must for combating extremist groups .... and you will have to spend the money.

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