Senate postpones meeting with service chiefs, gives reasons

The meeting between security chiefs and Nigerian senators could not be held on Wednesday due to the absence of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa.

The Senate last week resolved to summon security chiefs to an interactive session to discuss possible solutions to the worsening security in the country.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, Adetokunbo Abiru, on Tuesday announced that the meeting between the lawmakers and security chiefs will be held on Wednesday (today) and Thursday (tomorrow).

Upon resumption of the plenary today, only the Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Air Staff, Hassan Abubakar and Chief of Naval Staff, Emmanuel Ogalla, were present at the senate complex.

The trio were allowed into the Senate chamber but were not allowed to make any comment nor introduce themselves before the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced that the interface would be postponed because of the absence of Messrs Ribadu and Musa.

Mr Akpabio said his office received an apology letter from Mr Ribadu for his absence. He, however, expressed displeasure with the absence of Mr Musa, an army general.

The Senate President, thereafter, announced that the meeting will be postponed to Tuesday next week.

“We thank you all for honouring our invitation for the very important interface on the way out of the lingering security crisis at hand. But due to the absence of the NSA and the Chief of Defence Staff, the interactive session will no longer hold today,” Mr Akpabio said.

Expansion of summon

Mr Akpabio explained that the lawmakers have resolved to invite more heads of security agencies to the interactive session.

“The Senate in its wisdom has decided to add other public officers whose offices are connected to security matters, to be part of the interactive session,” he said.

“Clerk of the Senate has been directed to write them ahead of Tuesday next week, now fixed for the session.

“We need their presence along with those of you here today, for holistic and comprehensive brainstorming on the problem at hand and required solution,” Mr Akpabio said.

Those who have been asked to join the interactive session are the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawale; Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam and Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Ibrahim.

Others are Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Minister of Finance, Wale Edun and Director General of National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar.