The Senate has summoned the military and other security agencies over the rising insecurity challenges in the country.
The Red Chamber further resolved to invite the Service Chiefs to brief it in a closed session on steps being taken to mitigate rising insecurity in the country.
Senate resolutions were sequel to its consideration and adoption of a motion moved by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua at the plenary, yesterday.
The Senate, however, commended the security forces and agencies in Nigeria for the ongoing efforts made to fight all forms of insecurity in the country.
The Red Chamber also urged the security agencies to improve and enhance their inter-operational synergy and coordination for the effective and holistic tackling of the various types of insecurity plaguing the nation.
It also asked the Security agencies to develop a National Security Policy document outlining the framework for an improved and streamlined synergy and coordination between the various security agencies and embark on joint training to enhance their capabilities and effectiveness in dealing with all forms of security challenges bedevilling the country.
Yar’Adua, in his motion, said the contemporary security landscape in Nigeria poses unprecedented challenges that outstrip the protective capabilities of any security agency alone.
He, therefore, said that the fight against insurgencies and other novel security crises requires the collaboration of all the relevant security agencies and MDAs.
The lawmaker stated, “Nigeria has various security agencies aside from the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Nigeria Police Force. These include the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other authorised Civilian Task Forces.
“Nigeria has other key security services that oversee both internal and external threats: the Department of State Service, the Defence Intelligence Agency, and the National Intelligence Agency.”
The Senator further stressed that “Nigeria is facing numerous simultaneous security crises. These include the Boko Haram in the North- East; the activities of bandits and kidnappers in the North-west; the activities of gunmen in the South-east and South-south; and other forms of criminality like armed robbery, herders/farmers clashes and cross-border crimes.”
Yar’Adua noted the “kidnapping of Major General RC Duru in Owerri, Imo State on 27th September 2023 by members of IPOB, and the overall nefarious acts of the proscribed outfits, and the much-touted ‘unknown gunmen’ in the Eastern part of the country;
“On the 3rd of October 2023, at least five people were killed, and some others injured when bandits attacked the Anguwar Dankali community in the Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“Troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN on Operation HAKORIN DAMISA IV from 9 to 16 October 2023 neutralised bandit/armed robbers and arrested 59 suspects in connection with kidnapping, armed robbery, cattle rustling, railway vandalism, gunrunning, illegal mining as well as recovered arms/ammunitions and illicit drugs.”
Meanwhile, the Senate also yesterday confirmed the nomination of Dr. Aminu Maida as the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
His confirmation followed the consideration and adoption of a report submitted to that effect by the Senate Committee on Communication, which screened the nominee on Wednesday.
The committee chairman, Senator Aliyu Ikra Bilbis ( PDP Zamfara Central), while presenting the report during plenary, said Maida’s nomination was in accordance with section 8 (1) of the NCC Act, 2003.
He said that during the screening exercise conducted for confirmation of Maida’s appointment on Wednesday, the committee found him worthy of the appointment.
He specifically informed the Senate that Maida passed security clearance as well as possessed the requisite qualifications, professional experience, competence, and capacity to occupy the office.
He also said there was no petition against his nomination and therefore recommended his confirmation.
The Senate, thereafter, confirmed the appointment of Aminu Maida as Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC.
Dr. . Maida had, before his appointment by President Bola Tinubu, served as the Executive Director, Technology and operations, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc.
He holds an M.Eng in Information Systems Engineering from Imperial College London and a PhD in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from the University of Bath, United Kingdom.
During his screening, Maida told lawmakers that if confirmed, he would focus on improving the coverage and connectivity of telecom services in the remotest parts of the country.
“The NCC under my leadership, if confirmed as Executive Vice Chairman by the Senate, would ensure that network subscribers get value for their money, drastic reduction in drop calls, improved network coverage and rural connectivity”, he said.
“Technological innovation for stoppage of hacking into subscribers’ accounts would also be at the front burner of actions to be taken in no distant time,” he added.