Shehu Sani, the senator representing Kaduna Central at the National Assembly, says a “billion dollars to purchase arms will not make sense” if the Federal Government fails to factor in the “welfare and well-being of the officers and soldiers fighting the war”.

Sani was reacting to the $1 billion approved by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday for the purchase of arms to fight insecurity in the country.

Writing on his Facebook page shortly after the President gave the approval, Sani said “there must also be a special fund for the injured, the orphans and widows of our fallen soldiers”.

“A billion dollars to purchase arms will not make sense if we don’t factor the welfare and well-being of the officers and soldiers fighting the war,” he said.

“A special fund for the injured, the orphans and widows of our fallen soldiers need also to be factored in. A weapon cannot fight a war without the men to use it.”

Sani, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who has always picked holes in many of the administration’s policies, also reminded the President of the need to revive the nation’s defence sector.

“We also need to remind ourselves that our defence industry is moribund, before we enrich arms manufacturers in other nations. Our self-sufficiency should not be about rice alone.”

Mansur Dan Ali, Minister of Defence announced after a security meeting between the President and service chiefs at the Presidential Villa that “of recent, our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari gave approval for the purchase of more equipment for the military, worth $1 billion”.