Senate grills service chiefs over insecurity

Inaugurates three new senators

THE Senate, yesterday, grilled heads of the country’s security apparatus for over five hours to end insecurity across the country. The upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly had at 12.49 p. m. dissolved into a closed door to allow the security chiefs to give it an update on activities to restore peace in troubled parts of the country.

Recall that the Red Chamber last Tuesday resolved during plenary to expand the number of security chiefs invited to explain the interventions of the military to them. Senate President, Godswill Akpabio had explained that in addition to the service chiefs, the upper chamber decided to invite the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Yemi Edun.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion moved by the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele ( Ekiti Central), after it suspended its rule to admit the visitors into the chamber.

“We can talk about security, but we also need money to procure equipment and to do a lot of things. So, their presence here will give us a lot of insights into how funding will be handled to ensure the security of lives and property. “The Senate decided to take this option for us to have this interaction because of the various petitions that we have received from our constituents. As part of our oversight functions, we decided to do this through the Committee of the Whole,” he said.

ALSO yesterday, Senate President, Akpabio, administered oath of office on three lawmakers, who recently won their by- elections. They are: Pam Mwadkon ( Action Democratic Party, Plateau

North); Prof. Anthony Ani ( All Progressives Congress, Ebonyi South) and Mustapha Musa ( All Progressives Congress, Yobe East).

The trio were subsequently led to their respective seats.