Military Gives Reason For Disregarding Reps Summon

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin has given the reason service chiefs were unable to honour the summon by the House of Representatives last Friday.

According to Olonisakin, the service chiefs recognised the concern of the house but were unable to appear on that day “due to other national assignments”.

The defence chief, who spoke on Monday at a meeting with the leadership of the green chambers in Abuja, said their absence from the meeting was not a deliberate act to disrespect the lawmakers.

Speaker of the house, Femi Gbajabiamila had invited the service chiefs to discuss the spate of insecurity in the country but they did not show up when it was first scheduled.

Recall that only the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Adamu, the Director-General, Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi and the Comptroller-General of Nigerian Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede were present on Friday while others sent representatives.

Gbajabiamila, who had expressed disappointment at the action of the service chiefs described it as an insult to the Parliament.

He thereafter promised to report the matter to President Muhammadu Buhari.

But Olonisakin said the service chiefs recognised the concern of the house but was unable to appear on Friday “due to other national assignments”.

He thanked the leadership of the house for the opportunity to interact with them on the issues of insecurity in the north-east.

“We are here to listen to the security concerns of the house and address them with the support of the legislature,” Olonisakin said.

“Our various chiefs of operations were here to represent us, they are senior officers in charge of the various headquarters and are qualified to respond to issues.

“I wish to put on record that contrary to insinuations, the absence of the service chiefs on Friday was not a deliberate act to disrespect the institution of the assembly.

“We hold the national assembly in the highest regard and wish to appreciate the institution for the support in the fight against insurgency.”

He said the armed forces in collaboration with other security and intelligence agencies have been contending with terrorism for many years in the region.

He maintained that in spite of the challenges, appreciable progress had been made in the fight against insurgency in the zone.

He added that the armed forces will continue to strategise to address the changing operational situation of the insurgents.