The Nigerian Senate has asked President Muhammadu Buhari, to as a matter of urgency declare a National Security Emergency to address the escalating challenges of insecurity faced by the country.
The call was made moments before the upper chamber adjourned plenary on Wednesday, and after an exhaustive debate on a motion on the urgent need to restructure, review and reorganise Nigeria’s current security architecture.
This was contained in a press statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday.
This was even as the upper chamber constituted an Ad-Hoc committee to immediately engage the National Security Adviser, Mohammed Babagana Monguno, and heads of Security Agencies with a view to curbing the rising spate of insecurity in the country.
Among heads of security agencies that the Ad-Hoc committee is expected to have an interface with are the Chief of Defense Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar; and the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.
The composition of the Ad-Hoc Committee draws membership from the ranks of the Senate Leadership and Chairmen of relevant Committees on Security.
The members are Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, Chairman; Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe (Member); Deputy Chief Whip, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi; Ali Ndume, Chairman, Committee on Army; Aliyu Wammako, Chairman, Committee on Defense; Bala Ibn Na’Allah, Chairman, Committee on Airforce; and George Thompson Sekibo, Chairman, Committee on Navy.
Others are Ibrahim Gobir, Chairman, National Security and Intelligence; Haliru Jika Dauda, Chairman, Committee on Police; Kashim Shettima (Member); Kabiru Gaya (Member); Gershom Bassey (Member); Stella Oduah (Member); Abba Moro (Member); Ibikunle Amosun (Member); Yusuf A. Yusuf (Member); and Suleiman Abdu Kwari (Member).
Earlier, the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, who sponsored a motion on the need to review the country’s security architecture, lamented the recent upsurge of security challenges accompanied by the devastating loss of lives and properties.