The House of Representatives is currently holding an interactive meeting with the Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Magashi (Rtd), and the newly appointed Service Chiefs for the nation’s Armed Forces, with a charge to them, to urgently map out strategies, to address the lingering insecurity, in parts of Nigeria.
The House’s Joint Committee on Defence, Army, Air Force, and Navy, equally screened and grilled the newly appointed Service Chiefs to confirm if they are fit and capable of addressing the security challenges, bedevilling the nation.
At the meeting, the House’s Joint Committee, said that they have the mandate to screen and confirm the nominees, or discharge them, if they fail to respond to answers to any question on their professional competence and skills in addressing the security challenges in Nigeria.
The Chairman of the Joint Committee, Babajimi Benson, said that the essence of the confirmation of the Service Chiefs by the National Assembly is to emphasize the supremacy of civil authority against the military, in a democracy.
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Babajimi, concerned with the worsening spate of security in Nigeria, further hinted that the 1999 Constitution has vested the security and welfare of the people on the government, and security is of paramount importance.
The Minister of Defence, however, assured the Joint Committee, that the nation’s Armed Forces is fully aware of its constitutional role, in ensuring the security of the Nation.
He also assured the lawmakers that they will tackle the various forms of insecurity confronting the nation presently.
The lawmakers are currently in a closed door session, with the service chiefs.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
