House of Reps softens stance on service chiefs, Supreme Muslim body tells FG to sit up, swipes at CAN, others
From what appeared to be a fixed position for the outright resignation of service chiefs, the lower chamber of the National Assembly appears to be softening its stand.
Now the Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has told the various service chiefs to redouble their efforts to secure the country because Nigerians are on the necks of their representatives in the House over the security situation in the country.
Recall that Gbajabiamila and Senate President Ahmad Lawan met the Commander-in-chief and President,, Muhammadu Buhari, earlier in the week where a middle ground is believed to have been reached.
The Speaker said although the service chiefs were doing a lot, the anxiety among Nigerians was enough reason for the military commanders to redouble their efforts, challenging them to take the battle to the criminals.
Meanwhile, the highest Islamic group in the country, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) on Wednesday joined those calling on the Federal Government to sit up on matters of security by declaring a state of emergency on insecurity.
” The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) , under the leadership of it’s President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, is appalled and horrified by the state of insecurity in Nigeria,” Alhaji Yusuf Chinedozi Nwoha, Director of Administration of NSCIA told journalists at the National Mosque in Abuja.
“These days, hardly does a day pass without some heart-rending news about kidnapping, armed robbery, violent attacks on and savage/ritual killings of innocent Nigerians….
”The level of insecurity in the country has reached an unacceptable crescendo that declaring a state of emergency on it appears not only necessary but also pressing.”
”The situation of Nigeria today is desperate and desperate situations require desperate measures in the collective interest of well- meaning Nigerians. Let the monster of insecurity be tackled actively and proactively with the full weight of Nigeria’s security and defence capacity!”.
The Islamic body took a tacit swipe at the Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN) for suggesting that attacks are targeted at Christians.
“To suggest that Christians are killed because they refuse to embrace Islam stands logic on its head. Were Muslim scholars and individuals killed in mosques , market squares and villages killed because they refused to denounce Islam?”
Gbajabiamila spoke at the meeting of the joint House Committees on Defence, Army, Navy and Air Force with the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and the Chief of Air Staff.
“I thought I should be here to encourage everybody that we’re all on the same page. We all know the situation in Nigeria today, we can’t hide from it, we can’t shy away from it, we cannot pretend that it doesn’t exist.
“We spent practically the whole day on Wednesday (January 29) discussing the security situation in Nigeria as expected. Simultaneously, the Senate was doing the same thing without us comparing notes.
“So, it was a natural reaction to what was going on in the country today. Back home, our constituents are on our necks. People are dying every day, they are dying callously in ways that you can only find in countries without security forces. But we know that you guys are doing a lot.”
The Speaker said as a country, ”We must think outside the box; we must take the battle to these criminals whatever they are. Like I said at the State House the other day, Nigerians are anxious, but I do understand the limitations of the Armed Forces.
The Speaker who commended the service chiefs, as well as men and women of the Armed Forces for doing their best and sacrificing their lives for the country, said the House would continue to engage the armed forces to find a lasting solution.
“My opening remarks on the floor of the House when we returned from break was to commend you guys, particularly the ones that are on the frontlines, sacrificing their lives every day, our men and women in uniform.
“This is another one of those meetings, engagements, which we said would be continuous. We said it the last time. It’s going to be continuous to find out exactly what’s going on, what the issues are, what the problems are, and hopefully get some commitments from you.”
He expressed hope that “moving forward, things are going to get better. We know what the basic issues are: there’s funding, there’s equipment, there’s the recruitment of personnel.
“I believe the committee is well equipped to handle these issues. This is our priority. It’s the government’s priority, and it should also be our priority in the House. It’s major in our legislative agenda, and we must address is frontally, squarely and however and whatever needs to be done,” he said, calling for all stakeholders to work towards ending insecurity.