From Fred Itua, Abuja
The Senate, on Tuesday, tagged the ongoing insurgency in the North East and banditry across the country as a thriving industry that must be stopped. It said some persons were benefiting from it and maybe frustrating moves to end it.
This is even as the upper legislative chamber has given marching orders to the newly-appointed Service Chiefs to go after insurgents and bandits. It said everything must be done to restore law and order to the country.
The Senate stated these when it confirmed the Service Chiefs at plenary. The new Service Chiefs are Major-General LEO Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air-Vice Marshal I.O Amao, Chief of Air Staff.
They replaced former Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.
The four Service Chiefs were screened last week by a joint committee on Defence. During the screening, they outlined how they’ll tackle insecurity and restore law and order to every part of the country.
Speaking after the confirmation, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said: “This is becoming an industry and people are benefiting from it. We need to fight this insurgency until we defeat them.
“A situation where bandits come into a school and kidnap over 300 students is unacceptable. We need to device a means to safeguard our institutions. We need to take the fight to bandits.
“Nigeria is going through a difficult period and we must work together. There must an interagency cooperation for us to win this fight. Air Force needs to provide air support to ground troops.”