Senate has engaged the Service Chiefs in a meeting to find lasting solution to the problem of insecurity in Nigeria. It has also called on all the relevant security agencies and the Judiciary to carry out expeditious prosecution of arrested terrorists and oil thieves in the country. Speaking in Abuja during a follow up interactive session with Service Chiefs, Inspector General of Police and heads of other security agencies, in the country, the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan said that allowing arrested terrorists or oil thieves to escape justice, will not augur well for the country. Senate had on August 3rd, 2022, engaged the Service Chiefs in a meeting to among others find ways of nipping in the bud, the security problem confronting the nation.
The meeting with security chiefs is a follow- up the previous one, and was at the instance of the Senate in view of the more worrisome dimension, security challenges have turned into with reported cases of killings and kidnapping across the country. The meeting is also coming a week to the resumption of the Senate from its annual break where the issue of impeachment would rear its head . Lawan presided over by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, with the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo- Agege, APC, Delta Central; the Senate Leader, Senator Ibrahim Gobir; the Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and the Deputy Senate Leader Senator Robert Ajayi Boroffice. Others were the Deputy Whip of the Senate , Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi; the Minority Whip, Senator Chukwuka Utazi; Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Thompson Sekibo; Chairman, Senate Committee on Air Force, Senator Bala Ibn Na’ Allah etc, among others.
Also in attendance were the Chief of Defence Staff, the three Service Chiefs, Inspector General of Police, Directors-General of National Intelligence Agency(NIA), State Security Service(SSS) and Commandant General of the National Security and Civic Defence Corps while the Acting Comptroller General of the Immigration Service was represented.
Lawan who commended the Security Chiefs for the remarkable difference made within the last four months in the war against insurgency and banditry, said that security as appropriated for in the 2021 and 2022 national budgets , will take the lion share of the 2023 budgets in terms of appropriation. In his opening remarks before the meeting went into closed door session, the President of the Senate said, “You will recall that about four weeks ago, we had a meeting here and that meeting was to look into the security situation in the country then. “Before we closed for our annual summer recess, Distinguished Senators and indeed, members of the National Assembly expressed so much concerns with respect to the security situation prevailing and we felt we must engage our security agencies so that together, we will continue to fight these challenges in our country. I am happy and I’m sure I’m speaking the mind of my colleagues, that after that meeting, till today, we have seen remarkable difference in the fight against insecurity in our country by our Armed Forces and other security agencies and we are very proud of that. We pray that this continue because we have seen the initiative and it is for us to finish the job. When Mr President spoke of ensuring that we return to normalcy by December 2022, I’m sure he had in mind what you have been doing recently.
“I believe that you, our Armed Forces and other security agencies have everything in terms of the morals and determination, even though we still have to give some other support. This meeting therefore is to review what has happened so far. While we fight the insecurity in the country, sometimes we capture bandits alive. Those who have made every effort to steal our oil at an industrial scale, I’m sure some of them may not be that lucky to escape. We want to see trials of people who are caught because when that happens, citizens will know that nobody, no matter how high that person is, can go scot free if he or she decides to get involved in this kind of criminal activities. Of course, I will appeal to our courts – judiciary – once we have cases like this, we must give expeditious consideration, because these are the issues that, today, are militating against our stability and even against our democracy. We lose so much of our oil. As at the last count, the report was that we export just little above 900,000 barrels. And that is just about 50 percent because it is supposed to be 1.8million barrels per day and that is halving our revenues and our resources for development. So I want to appeal to the judiciary to give a special consideration once a suspected oil thief is taking to Court. We must prosecute them. It is not enough to just take away whatever they have stolen and say go and sin no more.”
Lawan who appealed to the Security Chiefs to take them(law makers) into confidence during the closed door session, said, “We are responsible people. There are things that we know are very sensitive but some things are treated better when we are on the same page so that we also don’t legislate blind folded or without the necessary background information. “Where there are requests or requirements to enhance the capacity and the competence for Armed Forces and other security agencies, I think we should consider that as a priority as well.”
