A data processing agency on terrorism, Jihad Analytics, has described Nigeria as one of the largest spenders in the area of military expenditures.
Nigeria also remains the second most attacked country by terrorist groups globally, according to the agency.
The federal government has spent a total amount of N11.18 trillion on tackling insurgency in the country from 2015 to 2022, according to The Punch.
The agency said that Nigeria recorded 305 attacks from January to June 2022, with Iraq being first with 337 and Syria third 142.
This is happening against the backdrop of the claims by the President Muhammadu Buhari, that his regime was winning the counter-terrorism war.
The activities of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists had greatly increased in the North-West and North-Central regions of the country in 2022.
The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists claimed responsibility for the attack on the Kuje medium security correctional centre, Abuja, on July 5, during which hundreds of Boko Haram commanders and other criminals escaped.
The terrorists were also believed to have masterminded the attack on the elite Guards Brigade troops in Abuja in which five soldiers were killed.
Since President Buhari assumed office on May 29, 2015, his regime had allocated approximately N11.18 trillion as security budget.
This figure covers budgetary allocations to the ministry of defence, ministry of interior, ministry of police affairs, national security adviser and the police service commission.
Based on the 2015 appropriation act available on the website of the budget office of the federation, a total of N626.39 billion was allocated to tackling insurgency in Nigeria.
It increased to N978.72 billion in 2016, N1.12 trillion in 2017, N1.26 trillion in 2018, N1.33 trillion in 2019, N1.71 trillion in 2020, and N1.87 trillion in 2021 for all aforementioned ministries and agencies.
By 2022, the budgetary allocation increased to N2.27 trillion, showing an increase of 262.39 percent when compared to the allocation in 2015.
Meanwhile, the President Buhari had on April 4, 2018, approved $1 billion for military equipment, following a meeting with security chiefs at the presidential villa, Abuja.
It was earlier reported that the ministry of defence had purchased equipment for the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, and the defence intelligence agency worth $99.5 million, out of the $1 billion approved by the President.
In 2018, Buhari told the National Assembly that he had ordered the payment of $496 million to the United States government for the purchase of 12 Tucano aircraft ahead of legislative approval to withdraw the $1 billion fund from the excess crude account.
However, in March, 2021, the $1 billion arms fund was engulfed in controversy when the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, alleged that the $1 billion meant to purchase arms to tackle insurgency had gone missing.
