Senate President Ahmed Lawan had disclosed that Thursday’s meeting between senators and security chiefs was focused on the discussion of insurgency, banditry, terrorism and other forms of insecurity in Nigeria as well as plans to contain them.
The meeting, from which journalists were barred, lasted over four hours.
It comes amidst growing cases of kidnappings, robbery and killings across the nation. It also comes weeks after the Niger State government confirmed that Boko Haram was operating in the state.
Also speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Senate spokesperson, Ajibola Bashiru said the lawmakers were briefed on security and the analysis of the various operations and theatre of activities that the security personnel are engaged in.
The lawmakers were also briefed on the topography across the six geopolitical zones, the complexities and the challenges being faced and ways to ensure a long lasting peace and security for the country.
Although prior to Thursday’s meeting, Mr Lawan appealed for understanding from his colleagues should the security chiefs request for a supplementary budget, Mr Basiru said money was not discussed.
“We did not talk about money. We did not talk about figures. We had a high level discussion on general challenges and requirements for us to have an efficient and effective security,” he said. “The details of what ever 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.”
The lawmaker also disclosed that some “perspectives as to what happened recently in Chad was also considered” during the meeting.
He said the Senate had confidence in the security chiefs.
“So it is a very thorough discussion and I also believe that the forthrightness of the leadership of the security agencies showed the seriousness that they attached to that exercise. So, I believe that going forward, the confidence has been built between the security chiefs on one hand and the Nigerian parliament on the other hand and that would be a good signal of what we expect in the future.”
Apart from the briefing, lawmakers had also resolved that the Senate leadership should meet with President Muhammadu Buhari, to seek ways of mitigating the security challenges bedeviling the country.
The security chiefs present at the meeting include the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru; Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Gambo and the Chief of Air Staff, Isiaka Amao.
Also present were the Director Generals of the State Security Service, National Intelligence Agency and the Defence Intelligence Agency as well as the Acting Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba.
