Lawan Task Newly Appointed Service Chiefs
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has charged the newly confirmed Service Chiefs to work hard and put an end to banditry and insurgency in the nation.
Lawan stated this at Tuesday’s plenary shortly after their confirmation of nominations by the Upper Chamber.
Those confirmed are Major General Lucky Eluoye Onyenucheya Irabor – Chief of Defence Staff; Major General Ibrahim Attahiru – Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Agambi – Chief of Naval Staff; and Air Vice Marshal Isiaka O. Alao – Chief of Air Staff.
Lawan lamented on the poor state of the country’s security situation, stressing that by their confirmation, the task to adequately address the nation’s security challenges has been placed on them.
He said: “Let me take this opportunity to thank the former Service Chiefs for doing their best, and also advice the Chief of Defence Staff and New Service Chiefs that Nigerians expect so much from them.
“We are in a very serious situation. The security situation must be improved, and the buck is now going to stop on their tables as far as operations are concerned.”
However, the senate president assured the service chiefs of support from the National Assembly to combat security.
He described as “unacceptable” the recent activities of bandits, which saw the kidnapping of students in Katsina, Niger, and Zamfara states, respectively.
“We in the National Assembly, particularly in the Senate, will continue to support our Armed Forces in whatever way is possible.
“We believe that there is no better investment today in Nigeria and, indeed, at any time, than investing in the security of our country to protect the lives and properties of our people.
“And, therefore, we will continue to support them, but we expect excellence. We expect them – our armed forces – to take the fight to the bandits.
“In a situation where bandits will come to a school, take over 300 hundred students on motorcycles and disappear into thin air without any trace is not acceptable.
“Something has to give, because apparently this is becoming an industry. Some people are benefitting from this, and we have to unravel who this people are and fight bandits and insurgents until we rescue our country.”
Lawan further urged the newly confirmed Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs to foster inter-agency cooperation among security agencies.
“Let me also advise the Service Chiefs that there must be inter-agency cooperation.
“The Army, the Airforce must coordinate their activities because they are supposed to have complementary roles.
“I wish them all the success and we promise them, and indeed Nigerians that we will support them in whatever way is possible; that the parliament will come to their support,” the Senate president added.
