The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Tajudeen Abbas says the House would support the Nigerian military to achieve their mandate.
Speaker Abbas made the remarks at the commencement of Sectoral Debates by Ministries, Departments and Agencies Of The Executive, in Abuja.
He said that over the last few years, Nigeria has made significant progress in tackling insecurity through improved investment by the Government and the gallantry and professionalism of the service men and women.
The Speaker also emphasised that from the onset, that appearance in person for all invited heads of MDAs are required throughout the sectoral briefing.
“Today marks a significant milestone in the implementation of our Legislative Agenda as we commence the Sectoral Debates of the 10th House of Representatives. This is the maiden edition of the Debates, and I am pleased we are commencing with the security sector. Our focus on security is immediately clear, given the unprecedented challenges of the past decade. Over the last few years, we have made significant progress in tackling insecurity through improved investment by the Federal Government and the gallantry and professionalism of our service men and women. I salute the courage of our armed forces and law enforcement personnel,” Hon Abbas said.
The Speaker said the focus of the debate on security was clear, given the unprecedented challenges of the past decade.
Sectoral Debates
Dr Tajudeen explained that the sectoral debates would provide the House with an opportunity to scrutinize the policies, activities and plans of each MDA, and understand better the challenges facing government agencies, their programmes and areas for legislative interventions.
Hon Abbas encouraged the security chiefs to be transparent and forthcoming in their presentations.
“The commencement of the Sectoral Debates with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies once again demonstrates our determination to ensure that legislative measures and decisions are evidence-based and people-oriented. The Sectoral briefs will provide us with an opportunity to scrutinize the policies, activities and plans of each MDA. It will also allow the House and Members to understand better the challenges facing government agencies, their programmes and areas for legislative interventions. Accordingly, we have developed a Calendar for our planned engagement with the Executive covering several thematic areas, including the economy, education, health, agriculture, infrastructure, and many others. This will be undertaken regularly throughout the life of the Tenth Assembly. The Debates are in line with our constitutionally assigned powers to make laws for the good governance of the Federation and to ensure that government programmes and expenditures are in line with legislative intent. Therefore, the legislature must engage in constructive dialogue with senior government officials from all sectors to understand their operations, challenges and legislative needs,” he explained.
The Service chiefs who appeared in persons after their representatives were turned back previously, appealed for legislative support to succeed.
All the service chiefs, as well as the Inspector General of Police, IGP in their respective presentation, enumerated their challenges to include inadequate man power, lack of equipment, increase in exchange rate, inadequate funding and solicited the support of the parliament to surmount them.
Chief of Defence State, Christopher Musa identified the judiciary as part of factors affecting the fight against terror and other criminal activities in the country.
He also listed good governance as part of ways to tackle the security challenges in the country.
This is as he charged the Nigerian government to engage Finland over the activities of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Simon Ekpa, noting that the latter is causing so much harm to citizens, especially in the South East geo-political zone.
“The issue of judiciary. I have been in the Northeast. There were a lot of Boko Haram elements that have been captured. We have kept them for five/six years. We the armed forces can arrest but cannot prosecute. Some of them have been found wanting but no prosecution. We are keeping them for this lengthy period—everyone is accusing the Armed forces in keeping them against their human rights but we cannot prosecute.
“Another aspect of the judiciary is that you use all your effort to make an arrest, you hand them over, and before you enter your vehicle, the man has been released on bail. Now you have risked yourself in doing that, by the time he is released, he goes to tell the people the person that arrest him. Now your family members or you are at risk. It is getting to a state where the security forces do not want to make any effort.
“We have the issue in the Southsouth. A lot of the ships—the last ship that was arrested, was arrested 10 years ago—it was arrested 10 years ago, the ship went and changed its name, changed its colour and came back again.
“By the time you hand over the ship, before you know it, it is released. I think that is one area we must look into. We must have a special court to look into it. That is why we arrest and destroy them because the longer we keep them, it becomes a problem, because we come under pressure to release them,” he said.
The Chief of Army staff, Lieutenant General Taureed Lagbaja, highlighted some of the challenges facing the Nigerian Army which includes funding, logistics and manpower.
Security Challenges
He identified the security challenges confronting the country as terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping amongst others.
He stated that “Our strategy as an army to combat the multi faceted security challenges confronting us as a nation is the deployment of forces in each of the six geo political zone to combat the security threats.”
The Army chief added that the Army has established 40 Forward Operating Bases (FOB) across the country, to ensure troops are deployed quickly, whenever the needs arise.
The Chief of Naval staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, explained that resources are basically required in terms of fleet renewal, aircraft as well as support facilities.
“The navy is just about 30,000 for now. We are making efforts to expand the size of the navy and train them adequately to be able to meet its objectives.With adequate support, we should be able to tackle activities of oil theft, pipeline vandalisation and illegal refineries irrespective of the weather,” he said.
He stated that the Navy was deployed in over 30 states in the country, for surveillance, response capability, and law enforcement.
“Based on our strategic position in the Gulf of guinea sees the entire Gulf of guinea as our maritime area if interest.
“This maritime area of interest is the treasure base if the nation’s resources , starting from oil and gas to fisheries and other mineral resources, including the fact they it constitute a major trade route. This is the vast responsibility of the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
Similarly, the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, said that the Nigeria Police Force has been grappling with a myriad of challenges, which includes underfunding and limited resources, low morale and officer welfare, corruption and misconduct as well as outdated technology:
He said the Police was reviewing its community policing strategy to take into consideration the peculiarities of different communities.
“Recently, I announced the establishment of special intervention squad, which is going to a stand by unit of at least a 1000 men in each of the state. These men will be specially trained. They will be specially equipped. They will be specially rumenurated and ready for deployment at shortest notice to any area, of the country where there are crisis.
“This way we intend to join the military in fighting terrorism in the North East. Fight arned banditry in the North West and North Central. Fight kidnapping, armed robbery across the country and ensure that we reduce violent crime in our country to the barest minimum, “ he added.
Confidence Okwuchi
