The Senate committees responsible for the oversight of the Nigerian military will start the screening of the newly-appointed service chiefs this week, behind closed doors.
The Chairman, Senate
Committee on Army, Ali Ndume, who confirmed the development in a chat with
Punch, on Thursday, however, said the service chiefs would be screened behind
closed doors so as not to compromise national security.
The Senate President,
Ahmad Lawan, had on Wednesday, referred the request of President Muhammadu
Buhari for the confirmation of the new service chiefs to the joint committees
on Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Lawan gave the
committees two weeks to carry out their assignment and report to the Senate in
plenary.
The appointees for
confirmation are Maj. Gen. Lucky lrabor as Chief of Defence Staff; Maj. Gen.
Ibrahim Attahiru (Chief of Army Staff); Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo, (Chief of
Naval Staff); and Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao as Chief of Air Staff.
They are to replace
the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army
Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas; and
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.
Ndume said it was not
advisable to screen service chiefs in the open.
He said, “If you do,
it means you will be compromising the security of the country, especially if
there are issues that border on national security.”
Asked when the
military chiefs would be screened, he said, “It will be next week.
“We have been given
two weeks, so it will definitely be done next week and we shall keep you
informed.”
Meanwhile, as part of
strategies to mobilise civil support against the rising insecurity in the
country, the Nigerian government has concluded plans to hold town hall meetings
across the geo-political regions.
The first of the
meetings convened by the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno
(retd.), will hold in Kaduna on Monday and will be attended by the heads of
security agencies and the governors of the North-Western states.
According to a
statement on Saturday from the Office of the NSA, the meetings are expected to
provide a direct assessment of the security situation, generate local feedback
and recommendations, encourage geopolitical synchronisation of efforts among
states, and also create a pathway to peace and security.
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