Senator Ali Ndume has said Nigerian senators are overpaid compared to police officers and members of the armed forces, arguing that more public funds should be directed toward national security.
Speaking during an interview with Trust TV, the Borno South senator said the disparity between lawmakers’ earnings and the remuneration of security personnel is difficult to justify.
“I think I’m being overpaid, and the government is overpaying itself. Go and look at how much is being paid to the police and the army. In this year’s budget of about ₦58 trillion, it’s only about ₦3 trillion that goes to defence. Are we serious?” Ndume said.
Asked whether he would accept a 20 percent salary reduction if it would improve national security, Ndume said he would do so without hesitation, adding that both the government and his colleagues are aware of his position.
He argued that the Nigerian Constitution places security and the welfare of citizens at the centre of governance and maintained that wasteful government spending should be redirected to strengthen the country’s security sector.
