- Safiu Kehinde
The Nigerian Senate has set up an ad hoc committee to organize a three-day National Security Summit.
As part of the move in tackling insecurity in the country, the Upper Chamber, at its plenary on Tuesday, approved the motion for the establishment of the committee sponsored by Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim (APC-Ondo) and co-sponsored by four other senators.
Moving the motion titled “Urgent Need for a National Security Summit”, Ibrahim said that insecurity across Nigeria has become pervasive, impacting on both urban and rural areas.
“Where banditry, ransom kidnappings and terrorism were pressing issues across the country as well as other violent crimes”. he said.
The lawmaker harped on the need for some fact-finding intelligence support for President Bola Tinubu’s efforts in tackling the challenge.
Defending the motion, the Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Abba Moro, stated that every available options must be considered in tackling the insecurity in the country.
“What is before us now is whether we should convoke a national security summit.
“These security challenges are happening in every area and in different dimensions. In proffering solutions to the security challenges, there is ‘no one side fits all’ approach.
“We’ve provided solutions in the past and they have not worked does not stop us from proffering solutions.
“Now that we are confronted with hydra-headed insecurity, there is nothing that stops us from exploring all means of bringing insecurity to a halt,” he said.
According to report, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks, noted that the summit will compose delegates from states, communities affected, traditional rulers and students unions.
This, he said was so we have a holistic debate because security is everybody’s business.
The summit will include delegates from all levels of government, as well as traditional institutions.
The Red Chamber also urged the federal government to review and rejig the country’s security policies based on outcomes from the summit.
“No country will allow its citizens to understand security by living with insecurity.
“Therefore, the ideology of peace for all, as outlined in the executive policies of the Renewed Hope Agenda should be upheld and promoted,” he said.