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Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has called for greater investment in local arms production and stronger measures to disrupt the financial networks sustaining criminal activities, describing both as critical to addressing Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
Kalu made the call while speaking at a high-level security engagement in Abuja, where stakeholders from the defence, intelligence and financial sectors gathered to examine strategies for strengthening national security and enhancing the country’s capacity to respond to emerging threats.
The Deputy Speaker argued that Nigeria must reduce its dependence on imported military hardware by developing indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities capable of supporting the operational needs of the armed forces and other security agencies.
According to him, strengthening local production of military equipment would not only improve national security preparedness but also contribute to economic growth, job creation and technological advancement.
Kalu noted that countries facing complex security challenges increasingly rely on domestic defence industries to guarantee timely access to equipment and reduce vulnerabilities associated with foreign procurement.
He stressed that Nigeria possesses the human and institutional capacity to build a more robust defence manufacturing sector and urged policymakers and industry stakeholders to work together to make the country more self-reliant in military production.
Addressing the issue of insecurity from a broader perspective, the Deputy Speaker warned that military operations alone would not be sufficient to defeat criminal networks unless authorities also targeted the financial structures that sustain them.
He observed that terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups depend heavily on illicit financial flows to recruit members, acquire weapons, organise logistics and sustain their operations.
Kalu therefore called for stronger collaboration between security agencies, financial regulators, intelligence institutions, and law enforcement bodies to identify, track and disrupt sources of criminal financing.
He stressed that cutting off funding channels would significantly weaken the operational capabilities of criminal organisations and improve the effectiveness of security interventions across the country.
The Deputy Speaker also highlighted the need for enhanced intelligence gathering and greater inter-agency cooperation in tackling emerging security threats, noting that contemporary security challenges require coordinated responses across multiple sectors.
While acknowledging the efforts of security agencies in confronting insecurity, Kalu maintained that long-term success would depend on building resilient institutions, strengthening local capacities and adopting preventive measures capable of addressing the root causes of insecurity.
He expressed confidence in Nigeria’s ability to overcome its security challenges, insisting that the country possesses the resources, expertise and institutional framework required to achieve lasting peace and stability.
Kalu further rejected narratives portraying Nigeria as a failing state, arguing that despite existing challenges, the country has continued to demonstrate resilience through its democratic institutions, security agencies and economic structures.
According to him, ongoing reforms across critical sectors and the commitment of public institutions to national development remain evidence of Nigeria’s capacity to overcome present difficulties.
The Deputy Speaker urged all stakeholders, including government agencies, private sector actors, financial institutions and civil society organisations, to support efforts aimed at strengthening national security and promoting sustainable development.
His remarks come at a time when Nigeria continues to contend with multiple security threats, including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, oil theft and organised crime, prompting increasing calls for innovative and comprehensive approaches to security management.
In recent years, experts have repeatedly advocated the expansion of indigenous defence production and stronger anti-money laundering mechanisms as part of broader efforts to improve national security outcomes and reduce the operational capacity of criminal networks.
Kalu’s intervention adds to growing policy discussions around the need to combine military action with economic, technological and intelligence-driven strategies in the country’s fight against insecurity.
