The Nigerian Senate on Thursday after about four hours of closed session meeting with the security chiefs expressed satisfaction with the explanations provided by the service chiefs.
Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ajibola Basiru while briefing journalists after the meeting with the service chiefs said Senate is satisfied with plans of the security agencies, adding that from the explanations the confidence has been built between the security chiefs and the Nigerian parliament on the other hand and that would be a good signal of what to expect in the future.
According to Senator Basiru, “At an executive session they briefed us (Senators) comprehensively on the state of security in the country, analysis of the various operations and theatre of activities that they are engaged in, the topography across the six geopolitical zones, the complexities and the challenges that are being faced and ways by which they believe the parliament can work together with the executive and the heads of security agencies to ensure we rein in the atmosphere of insecurity and ensure a long lasting peace and security for our country.”
“We did not talk about money. We did not talk about the figure. We had a high-level discussion on general challenges and requirements for us to have efficient and effective security.
“The details of whatever will go into supplementary appropriation can only be worked upon by the Ministry of Finance, which is an executive arm together with our relevant Committee and such are not matters that we will go into details.
“Of course, everybody knows that security is a serious matter for which you cannot take with levity when it comes to ensuring appropriate appropriation for that. We are ready to receive a supplementary budget.
“We don’t have any doubt that there is synergy among the various security agencies. In fact, from the nature of the briefing that we received, it reassured us as elected representatives of the people that there is indeed a synergy,” he said.
Meanwhile, Security chiefs present at the session were: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Leo Irabor; Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru; Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao; Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo and the Acting Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman.
Others were: Directors-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) Maj-Gen S.A. Adebayo and Directorate of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi among others.
It will be recalled that last week the Senate had resolved to meet with security authorities over growing insecurity.
