Jonathan Seeks $1Bn Loan to Fight Boko Haram

President Goodluck Jonathan has forwarded to the National Assembly, request for urgent approval of $1billion external loan to forcefully confront the Boko Haram insurgency in the country.

This is coming as the federal government also inaugurated a 26-member Victims Support Fund Committee headed by Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd), former minister of Defence.

In the letter dated July 15, 2014, and read on the floor of the Senate by David Mark,  Senate president, yesterday, Jonathan explained that the external loan was urgently needed to upgrade the equipment, training and logistics of the Armed Forces and security services to enable them confront the insurgents more forcefully.

The letter titled: “Tackling Ongoing Security Challenges: Need for Urgent Action”, reads in part: “You are, no doubt, cognizant of the ongoing and serious security challenges which the nation is facing, as typified by the Boko Haram terrorist threat. This is an issue that we have discussed at various times.

“I would like to bring to your attention the urgent need to upgrade the equipment, training and logistics of our Armed Forces and Security Services to enable them more forcefully confront this serious threat.

“For this reason, I seek the concurrence of the National Assembly for external borrowing of not more than $1billion including government to government arrangements for this upgrade…”.

The National Assembly had in the N4.6trillion 2014 Budget provisions, appropriated N968.127billion for Defence on account of the Boko Haram insurgency.

The request may be considered today on account of its urgency because both chambers of the National Assembly may embark on their annual long recess today till the end of September this year.

Meanwhile, General Danjuma, chairman of the newly inaugurated Victims Support Fund Committee has tasked the president to take decisive action to end the insurgency, citing that they (Boko Haram) appear to be having upper hand in the fight.

Danjuma who was responding on behalf of other members of his Committee, further in a lighter mood, told President Jonathan that apart from carrying out the Committee’s terms of reference, they would not go to Sambisa Forest except he (Jonathan) leads them as the Commander in Chief.

According to Gen. Danjuma, “One thing we will not do is to go to Sambisa forest. The Commander-In-Chief will lead and we will follow”.

He, however, lamented the menace of the insurgents, saying the war must be brought to an end. “We must win this war immediately, it is taking too long. I called it civil war when it began people say its insurgency.

“The insurgents appear to be having an upper hand at this very moment. They pick and choose where to strike; they are even holding positions and displacing us. We must win this war, Mr. President. We must do so immediately.

“We will raise the funds, we will disburse it, I promise you we will do so diligently and transparently. But we must win this war Mr. President.”