New Telegraph

Senate tasks security agencies to prosecute apprehended terrorists, oil thieves

The Senate, yesterday, urged heads of security agencies and the judiciary to expeditiously prosecute apprehended terrorists and oil thieves across the country. The Senate gave the charge in Abuja during its leadership meeting with the military and intelligence chiefs to review the progress made in the fight against insecurity in the country.

The meeting which was a follow-up to similar one held early in August was presided over by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan and attended by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege; Senate Leader, Senator Ibrahim Gobir; the Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Robert Ajayi Boroffice

Others were the Deputy Whip of the Senate, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi; the Minority Whip, Senator Chukwuka Utazi; Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Thompson Sekibo; Chairman, Senate Committee on Air Force, Senator Bala Ibn N’Allah.

Other personalities in attendance include the Chief of Defence Staff, the three Service Chiefs, Inspector General of Police, Directors- General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Department of State Services (DSS) and Commandant-General of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), while the Acting Comptroller-General of the Immigration Service was represented.

In his opening remarks before the meeting went into closed door session, the President of the Senate told the security chiefs that prosecuting the apprehended terrorists and the oil thieves, would give Nigerians the assurance that nobody was above the law by undermining the stability of the country or stealing her resources and go scot free.

His words: “While we fight the insecurity in the country, sometimes we capture bandits alive. Those who have made every effort to steal our oil at an industrial scale, I’m sure some of them may not be that lucky to escape.

“We want to see trials of people who are caught because when that happens, citizens will know that nobody, no matter how high that person is, can go scot free if he or she decides to get involved in this kind of criminal activity.”

He also urged the security chiefs to take the lawmakers in confidence in the course of the meeting, assuring that the Parliament would give priority attention to requirements that would enhance the capacity and competence of the armed forces.

He, however, commended the Security Chiefs for the remarkable difference made within the last four months in the war against insurgency and banditry, saying that just as security took lion share in the 2021 and 2022 national budgets, the same would also be done in the 2023 budget.

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