The House of Representatives, has urged the nominated service chiefs to adopt inter-agency collaboration within the security cycle in order effectively address all security threats faced by Nigeria.
The charge was made Monday, during screening of Major General Christopher Musa, nominated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Chief of Defence Staff, and Major General Tiamiyu Lagbaja, as Chief of Army Staff, by an ad-hoc committee charged with the responsibility under the leadership of Hon. Babajimi Benson.
Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Julius Ihovbere, expressed optimism that the new helmsmen will succeed.
He said: “We are happy to see well-educated, fit, trained and very anxious men in uniform that are ready to take the relevant strategic national security issues forward.
“Let me say that looking through their profiles personally, I can say I have no doubt that these men have committed themselves to the stability, security and progress of Nigeria, West Africa and the world.”
Stressing that the screening exercise provides both parties the opportunity to exchange ideas, Ihovbere urged them to “give full support to our democratic enterprise, support Mr. President’s programmes and give Nigerians the hope of change for once as men in uniform that are ready to make Nigeria proud as always.”
Chairman of the screening committee, Benson observed that the exercise is a necessary constitutional provision in the process of institutionalising and legitimising the appointment of persons for the positions of service chiefs of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. “We in the House of Representatives, therefore, take this seriously and always do it meticulously in accordance with our extant rules.
“For more than sixteen years, Nigeria has witnessed diverse and unprecedented levels of insecurity in which the Armed Forces of Nigeria have been fully involved prompting the launch of several theatres of operations and exercises.”
