By Harry Awurumibe, State House, Abuja
Apparently to discuss the worsening security situation in the country and the way forward, the leadership of the National Assembly led by the Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan met with President Muhammadu Buhari, behind closed doors today (Monday) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Speaking to the State House Correspondents at the forecourt of the Aso Rock Villa, the Senate President in the company of the Speaker of Federal House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila gave an insight into their presence in the State House.
“We met with Mr. President over the security issues in the country and other matters of governance. The recent security challenges this country is facing requires that we work very closely.
“We had the debates in the two chambers of the National Assembly last week and resolutions were taken and we have come to discuss with Mr. President on the way forward, what we feel about some of these security challenges and also to ask him what he thinks we should do.
“Even though in the Senate we have our Ad hoc committee that is to work and fashion out the specific measures we believe should be taken, but in the interim, there is need for us as a government to ensure that we provide a way out to tackle the security challenges.
“In the intermediate and the long term, we should be able to come up with some strategies, the roadmap to ensure that we secure the lives and properties of Nigeria.”
Asked if the issue of the service chiefs sack came up in their discussion, the Senator said, “We discussed everything that matters as far as the issue of security of this country is concerned. We believe that it is imperative that we are able to provide that necessary equipment and welfare for the armed forces of this country and the police, to ensure that they are able to operate and performed efficiently and effectively”.
On what the president’s response was in the meeting, he said, “Mr. President was forthcoming, of course as the leader of this country he is more worried than anybody else about the situation. So we are on the same page that we should be able to do whatever it takes to ensure that the security agencies are able to perform better than they are doing now.
Asked if he thinks changing the service chiefs will solve the insecurity problems, Senator Lawan said, “You see, in matters of security of course as leaders we are supposed to lead but when it concerns security every single citizen matters in this. “So it is for all of us, citizens and leaders to ensure that we are playing our part as it is necessary. But I believe that the time has come, we have reached a tipping point that everybody in Nigeria is concerned about the security situation and therefore we are all prepared and that is why we have come to meet with Mr. President as leaders of National Assembly on behalf of our colleagues, to discuss the way forward. And of course, I believe that citizens participation is critical and crucial”.
Remanded that Technology is equally important and if they are looking at that side, he said, “Definitely we are looking into technology but don’t want to divulge everything discussed security but I believe that the issue of technology is important. We need to minimize the casualties of our armed forces and therefore we need to apply technology and become more efficient.
It is also critical that because we are dealing with human beings, you are asking the military, the police to go and fight insurgents, kidnappers, and bandits, you also need to do something for their welfare. How do they live? where do they live? What is the condition of the schools for their children? And so in and so forth. So these are issues that are very important and could have very impact outcomes when we are able to do the right thing and we will do them”.
