Deputy Speaker Calls For Establishment of Space Force to Combat Insecurity

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu has called for the establishment of a Space Force to enhance surveillance against terrorists and other criminal elements in the country.

Kalu said this at the closing of a 2-day retreat organised for members of the House Committee on Defence by the National Defence College in Abuja on Saturday.

He said that the specialised force would go a long way to assist the existing security agencies in defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

He said a Space Service Chief, or Chief of Space Staff could also be appointed to head the force for proactive space security.

It is high time Nigeria move from the usual and known mechanism for fighting insurgencies into space to achieve unusual results.

“I have seen you struggle to meet the challenges and the dynamic demands of security, all of which are issues that have gone around the space.

“In some countries, you have Space Service Chiefs, what are we doing about that? There is need for one to be created, we are beyond what is obvious.
“Some of the warfare is now taking place in the space and I can assure you, if we ignore that, we will not be doing justice to the mandate of protecting the territorial borders of this country,” he said.
Kalu added:“So it is high time we start looking beyond what happens here, think about what happens up there, the space.”
Rep. Babajide Benson, the Chairman, House Committee on Defence, lauded the quality leadership of Speaker Tajudeen Abbas-led in the 10th House of Representatives.

He assured that the committee would work closely with the defence sector to achieve the legislative agenda of the green chamber, as well as nipping security challenge in bud.

NAN/Victoria Ibanga/ Lateefah Ibrahim