The House of Representatives is currently holding an interactive meeting with the Minister of Defence Maj. Gen. Bashir Magaji (rtd) and the newly appointed Service Chiefs in 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 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 Joint Committee said that they have the mandate to screen and confirm the nominees or discharge them if they fail in response to answer any question on their professional competence and skills in addressing these security challenges in Nigeria.
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 military authority in a democracy.
Babajimi concerned the worsening spate of security in Nigeria and 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 Maj-Gen Bashir Magaji (rtd) 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 and assured the Lawmakers that they ‘ll tackle the various forms of insecurity confronting the nation presently.
The Lawmakers are currently in a closed door session with the service chiefs.
