The Service Chiefs, who head Nigeria’s armed forces, have apologised to the House of Representatives over their failure to personally attend the meeting convened by the leadership of House and relevant security committees last Friday.
Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin who tendered the apology at the rescheduled meeting on Monday at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja said, the Service Chiefs recognised the concern of the National Assembly over the current security challenges in the country, but were unable to appear on Friday due to other national assignments.
“I wish to put on record that contrary to insinuations, the absence of the service chiefs on Friday was not a deliberate act to disrespect the institution of the National Assembly.
“We hold the National Assembly in the highest regard and wish to appreciate the institution for the support in the fight against insurgency,” Olonisakin said.
The Chief of Defence Staff said the armed forces would continue to collaborate with other security agencies to ensure peace and security in the north-eastern part of the country.
He appreciated the leadership of the House for the opportunity to interact with them on the issues of insecurity in the north-eastern and other parts of the country, adding that, in spite of the challenges, appreciable progress had been made in the fight against insurgency.
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Olonisakin disclosed that the armed forces in collaboration with other security and intelligence agencies had been contending with terrorism for many years in the northeast and assured that they would continue to strategise on how to address the changing operational situation of the terrorists.
In his opening remarks before the meeting went closed-door, Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the essence of the meeting was to meet with the Service Chiefs and discuss the security situation in Nigeria as well as to identify the challenges and what the House could do to address them.
Gbajabiamila said that the 2019 budget was to be presented to the House within the next two weeks and that the meeting was timely to address financial challenges confronting the armed forces in the fight against insurgency, banditry and other security issues.
“Security is one of the major concerns of this government and we have an obligation to arrest the situation and do whatever we can.
“Like in every democracy, there is collaboration among arms of government ; it is only when we collaborate that we get the required results,” the Speaker said.
Unlike Friday, the Monday meeting was attended by the Service Chiefs including the Chief of the Naval Staff, Ibok Ekwe-ibas and the Chief of the Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, was again absent, while the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu who attended the last meeting was also absent.
