The Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has acknowledged that the military needs urgent intervention, saying that all is not well in that sector.

Obanikoro, however, gave assurances that the Federal Government was doing everything possible to reposition military institutions to meet up with current security challenges.

Obanikoro, who disclosed the ugly situation to newsmen on Friday, owned up to the fact that the military was lacking in some areas, which he assured would be urgently tackled.

The minister, who prides himself as a progressive-minded individual, said he couldn’t have stated otherwise, when he knew that all was not well with the military.

He was, however, quick to point out that it was in line with attempts to reposition the Navy that he recently embarked on a tour of naval formations across the country.

Obanikoro, spoke with journalists shortly after inspection of facilities at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS), Delta, Warri, the Naval School of Engineering, Sapele, and the Logistics Command, Oghara in Delta State. He had delayed the breaking of his Ramadan fast, in order to thoroughly inspect facilities at the naval formations till late in the night. The minister was accompanied by the Commanding Officer, NNS Delta, Navy Captain Musa Gemu; the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Engineering School, Rear Admiral Sidi H Usman, and the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Peter Agba.

The former gubernatorial hopeful of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos, said funding of the military had always been an issue, not only in Nigeria, but across the globe, noting, however, that the Goodluck Jonathan administration was funding the military within available resource limits.

“If I tell you that all is well, then, I am deceiving you, but there is need for improvement, and I know that we are doing a lot that we cannot disclose to the public. I know too well, the commitment President Jonathan has given and the kind of leadership he has provided in terms of funds for the military in recent times,” he said.

The minister said that the Federal Government would ensure that military officers are adequately kitted and remunerated to boost their morale in carrying out their assigned tasks, while stressing that practical steps had been taken in that direction.

“I recognise the fact that, if somebody is given a responsibility, that person must be properly kitted and equipped to carry out that assignment, and we have taken practical steps to ensure that in the military,” he assured.

Obanikoro said the security challenges in the country, and particularly, the problem of Boko Haram would soon be a thing of the past, insisting that the Federal Government had taken the right steps in tackling the problem.

He expressed confidence in the ability of the officers and ratings of the Nigerian Navy in carrying out their constitutional roles, acknowledging that the country had some of the best-trained naval officers.

•Adapted from a Sunday Newswatch report. Photo shows Defence Minister Obanikoro.

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