Lawan asks security chiefs to trust lawmakers on sensitive issues

• FG inaugurates 11-man railway security committee

Senate President Ahmad Lawan, yesterday, urged security chiefs to repose confidence in lawmakers over sensitive issues during closed-door sessions.

This was as the Federal Government inaugurated an 11-man railway security committee, with a charge to provide measures to safeguard passengers and railway infrastructure.

The move is coming six months after the March 28, 2022, deadly terrorist attack on an Abuja-Kaduna train that left about nine people dead and 62 others kidnapped.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, while inaugurating the committee in Abuja, charged it to review all surveillance equipment in place.

LAWAN spoke when the leadership of the Senate met with military and intelligence chiefs to review progress in the fight against insecurity in the country.

Recall that Senate had earlier issued a six-week ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle insecurity or face impeachment.

At the meeting, Lawan said: “I’m sure I’m speaking the mind of my colleagues, that after that meeting, till today, we have seen remarkable difference in the fight against insecurity in our country by our Armed Forces and other security agencies, and we are very proud of that.

“We pray that this continues because we have seen the initiative, and it is for us to finish the job. When Mr. President spoke of ensuring we return to normalcy by December 2022, I’m sure he had in mind what you have been doing recently.

“We are responsible people. There are things that we know are very sensitive. But some things are treated better when we are on the same page, so that we also don’t legislate, blindfolded, or without necessary background information.”

The meeting, a follow-up to a similar one in August, was presided over by Lawan and attended by Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, other principal officers of the Senate, and chairmen of security related committees of the Senate.

Also in attendance were the Chief of Defence Staff, the three service chiefs, Inspector General of Police, Directors General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Department of State Services (DSS) and Commandant General of the National Security and Civic Defence Corps, while the Acting Comptroller General of Immigration Service was represented.