The leadership of the Senate on Wednesday grilled Service Chiefs and the Inspector – General of Police for five hours over worsening security situation in the country.
The meeting is coming a week after the opposition Senators threatened President Muhammadu Buhari with notice of impeachment.
Before the lawmakers embarked on the closed-door session, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan lamented that the situation at hand as far as security challenges in Nigeria are concerned, is frightening as there is nowhere that is safe.
Lawan said despite collaborative efforts made by both the Presidency and the National Assembly in stemming the tide of worsening insecurity over the years, the situation at hand now is most frightening.
The frightening situation, he explained, necessitated the emergency meeting between the Senate Leadership and the security chiefs.
“This meeting today is to look into where we are now and how to get out of it not in six months or a year from now but from today.
“Bandits have taken over large portion of our land, particularly the rural areas; making farmers to abandon their farms with attendant drastic drop in agricultural productivity.
“Worsening the situation is the level of oil theft that has reached alarming proportion, already making international oil firms or explorers not to feel safe any longer in carrying out their business.
“If this frightening situation is not addressed immediately, government may be so challenged to the point of having little to provide required services to Nigerians.
“Therefore, we invite you to tell us what the problems are. Are resources given not enough or required synergy not available?
“Whatever the problems are, Nigerians want serious and drastic change from today. So in your submissions, be confident to talk to us as partners for lasting solutions,” he said.
In his brief response before the meeting went into closed doors, the Chief of Defence Staff said commitment of officers and men of the various security agencies in securing the country was not in any way being compromised and would not be compromised.
“No one is leaving any stone unturned in addressing all the imbalances,” he said.
Other Security Chiefs at the meeting are the Chief of Army Staff , Lt Gen Farooq Yahaya, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, Chief of Air Staff , Air Marshall Isiaka Oladayo Amao, the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, Director General of Department of State Services, Yusuf Magaji Bichi etc .
Present at the meeting with Senate President were the Senate Leader, Ibrahim Gobir, Deputy Senate Leader, Ajayi Boroffice , Minority Leader, Philip Aduda, Deputy Whip of the Senate, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Deputy Minority Whip, Chukwuka Utazi and Chairmen of various committees on security.