Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has said that the Nigerian Military was yet to tackle insecurity challenges because of inadequate resources at it disposal.
Lawan’s verdict comes just few days after the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, had said that the Buhari administration overfunded the Operation Lafiya Dole in the North-East.
According to Mrs Ahmed, the Buhari administration has been funding the military, adding that even special requests made to the President by the security agencies were funded 100 per cent.
But speaking before Senate plenary on Thursday shortly before a closed-door session with the security chiefs, Lawan said the military was performing within the limited equipment it have.
Recall the Senate had resolved to summon the service chiefs to appear at plenary over the increasing killings, kidnappings and general insecurity in the country.
The security chiefs arrived the Red Chamber few minutes past 11am.
It will also be recalled that the Service Chiefs were supposed to appear before the Senate last Tuesday but the meeting was suspended because of a National Security Council meeting at the presidential villa.
“Once again, I welcome you and trust us with what you think will help us as a parliament to help the cause of Armed Forces and other security agencies to perform better because you haven’t achieve the optimum and I can attribute that to inadequate resources.
“You recall our resolution to invite them for briefing on security situation in our dear country, on behalf of all of us Senators, I want to welcome this team and let me quickly assure you that indeed this Senate or the entire National Assembly is and will remain a partner in progress with you.
“On behalf of my colleagues, I want to commend our armed forces and other security agencies for fighting the myriad of security challenges across the country. In the process, some have given up their lives.
“We appreciate what you are doing because we know that you are doing your best with what you have at hand.
“I want to assure you and everyone that the challenges we face are taken seriously and extremely by the parliament. Hardly a day passes without this Senate discusses one security incident or the other. And it has been so for many years, not only this session.
“We pray that at the end of this interaction, we will see better ways and means of providing the necessary provision of resources to enable our armed forces continue with national cause to provide national security that we need to protect the lives and property of citizens to stabilise our environment for economy to receive better investments for this country; to be a hub for investments that will provide employment opportunities to our teeming youths,” Lawan said before the meeting continued behind closed-door.
A statement is expected after the meeting with the security chiefs.
The service chiefs who appeared before the Senate are Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru; Chief of the Naval Staff, Awwal Gambo; Chief of the Air Staff, Ishiaka Amao; the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba; the Director General, Department of State Services, Yusuf Magaji Bichi and the Director General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufa’i.
