Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, warned that Nigeria’s existence is under threat with the rising spate of insecurity in the country.
He stated this while speaking at the Special Summit on National Security organised by the Special Committee of the House of Representatives on National Security. The summit was themed ‘Strengthening National Security. Comprehensive Assessment and Generating Innovative All-Encompassing Solutions.’
Also at the event were President Muhammadu Buhari, represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan; and Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed.
Also in attendance were the service chiefs led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Leo Irabor; Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo – Chief of Naval Staff; Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao – Chief of Air staff; while the Chief of Army Staff, the late Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, who died in a plane crash on Friday, was represented by the Chief of Policy and Plan of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Ben Ahanotu.
While stating that Nigeria was under fire and attack, Gbajabiamila admitted that previous methods to curb the nation’s insecurity has failed.
“Today, at this time in our national history when insecurity threatens the authority of the state and the foundations of our nationhood, we must confront the realisation that our previous and current approaches to addressing the challenges of insecurity have not yielded the desired results,” he said.
“Our national house is on fire, and the people we serve rightly expect that we will devote all our energies and resources to trying to improve the future, rather than be paralysed in the present. It is by the work we do now that we can redeem ourselves and save our beloved country. This summit is solution-driven.”
