Service Chiefs meet Senate
The National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu and the nation’s service chiefs, Tuesday, went into closed-door session with the Senate over the growing state of security in the country.
The meeting was in response to cries for urgent action by the Federal Government to tame the bogey of insecurity across the country which of late has assumed worrisome dimension.
In attendance were the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, the Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Air Staff, Hassan Abubakar, the Chief of Naval Staff, Emmanuel Ogalla, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; the Director General of the State Services, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.
Also in attendance were the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam; Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun.
The meeting was at the instance of the Senate which sent out invitation to the top echelon of the nation’s security apparatchik.
Earlier, the President of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had apologised to the security team who have had to wait for commencing behind schedule.
“I want to thank the service chiefs who were earlier here in the Senate before we adjourned. The only addition is that we now felt that the ministers should also come because they are supervising most of the finances of these security agencies.
“We can talk security but we need money also procure equipment and to do a lot of things. Your presence here will give us insights into how funding is being handled to ensure the security of lives and properties.
“The Senate decided to take this option for us to have a session because of the various petitions that we have received from our constituents. As part of our major oversight function, we decided to do this through the Committee of a Whole.”
Political Economist NG reports that this was an extraordinary security meeting which brief goes beyond military hardware and personnel but also included issues of funding.
A Senate source told Political Economist NG that funding will top the agenda at the meeting hence the minister of finance was involved.
“We are looking at the whole picture of security from hardware to procurement, human capital empowerment and finance logistics. We want to know how well mobilized the rank and file of the military especially those who are in the frontline are. Is their morale low? These are issues on the table because this is no longer the time for excuses, we want action. Nigerians want to see an end to insecurity,” a Senator who is a key member of the Senate told our reporter.
