By Musa Baba Adamu
Absence of National Security Adviser ( NSA) Nuhu Ribadu , Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa , others, stalled planned interface of the Senate with the service chiefs and heads of security agencies on Wednesday at plenary .
The Senate had on Tuesday last week through resolution adopted from collective motion on insecurity , summoned the Service Chiefs and heads of security agencies for grilling in plenary .
The planned interface as announced by the Chairman , Senate Committee on Banking , Insurance and other Financial Institutions , Senator Adetokunbo Abiru on Tuesday , was specifically fixed for Wednesday and Thursday this week.
But the Senate in plenary yesterday announced that the interface could not hold due to absence of the National Security Adviser ( NSA) , Nuhu Ribadu and Chief of Defence Staff , General Christopher Musa .
President of the Senate , Godswill Akpabio who made the announcement said apology was received from Ribadu on his absence but that he and the Chief of Defence Staff , must be present at the very important session .
He added that aside Ribadu and General Musa , the Senate has also resolved to add other security heads to the planned interface session.
Those included at the planned session now postponed to Tuesday next week , are the Minister of Defence , Abubakar Badaru , Minister of State for Defence , Bello Matawale , Minister of Police Affairs , Senator Ibrahim Geidam , Minister of State for Police Affairs , Imaan Ibrahim , Minister of Interior , Hon Olubunmi Tunji Ojo , Minister of Finance , Olawale Edun and Director General of National Intelligence Agency , Ahmed Rufai Abubakar .
Akpabio in his remarks , thanked the Chief of Army Staff , Lt – General Taoheed Lagbaja , Chief of Naval Staff , Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla , Chief of Air Staff , Air Marshall Hassan Abubakar , the Inspector General of Police , Kayode Egbetokun and Director General of Department of State Services , Yusuf Bichi , for honouring the Senate’s invitation .
“We thank you all for honouring our invitation for the very important interface on way out of the lingering security crisis at hand . But due to the absence of the NSA and the Chief of Defence Staff , the interactive session will no longer hold today .
“ Besides , the Senate in its wisdom, has decided to add other public officers whose offices are connected to security matters , to be part of the interactive session .
“Clerk of the Senate , has been directed to write them ahead of Tuesday next week , now fixed for the session.
“We need their presence along with those of you here today , for holistic and comprehensive brainstorming on the problem at hand and required solution “, he said .
