Senate parleys security chiefs on special funds to tackle insecurity

Coming to terms with underfunding of security agencies in the country, the Senate on Thursday, reached an agreement with security chiefs on the need for special funding for them to be able to carry out their mandates.

The agreement was reached during a closed door session with the nation’s Security chiefs during security briefing by security chiefs on the proliferation of dangerous firearms, spate of killings by terrorists and kidnapping by hoodlums across the country.

The meeting was at the instance of a summon of the National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff, Inspector General of Police, Comptroller General of Nigerian Immigration Service, Director General, Department of State Services and Comptroller General Nigeria Customs Service on May 8,2018 following breakdown of security in the country.

In his comments at the end of the meeting, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, after closed door session with the nation’s Security chiefs delegate led by Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin, said they answered questions from Senators bothering on security, insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping and other national security matters.

He said ” On the whole, we decided that on our part, certain outstanding bills or protocols that needed to be fast-tracked , be addressed immediately to see that they are passed as soon as possible in order to strengthen the nation’s security architecture.

“Secondly, the Senate observed the issue of underfunding of security agencies and agreed that there is need for special funding for them to be able to carry out their mandates. Therefore, we gave the security chiefs two weeks to present their own budget on this area of special funding to the National Assembly which we think will go a long way in improving the security situation in the country.

“Our great concern also was the issue of coordination among the security agencies and on this note, we resolved to find ways to strengthen that aspect of security through constitutional means.

” By and large, we all are committed to ensure that these unfortunate trend of killings are brought to end. We all agreed to continue to work very closely in order to address this issues of insecurity and we are confident that things will improve in this area”..

He said the Senate has its role to play and the security agencies are also committed to play their own role.

“We hope that over the next couple of weeks, we will begin to take action on some of these things for which we have made commitments”, he added.