The Senate on Wednesday interacted with the National Security Adviser, Retired Major-General Babagana Monguno, after which the chamber resolved to approve more funds for the Office of the NSA to address the spate of insecurity in the country.
Soeaking during the interaction, President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki disclosed that the Senate may amend existing security laws to effectively tackle security challenges facing the country.
Saraki said that the review of the existing laws was important to help security agencies in their operations.
Besides, he said that Monguno had been asked to submit a funding request that would aid security agencies in their operations to the National Assembly for approval.
He reiterated that the NSA was questioned on issues of terrorism, kidnapping, coordination of security agencies and killings generally in the country.
“We directed that he submits a funding request similar to that of other security agencies in the country.
“We also discussed that consideration for amendment to existing laws regarding security is important,” he said.
Saraki said that the Monguno had apologized for his failure to appear on the first day of the invitation due to the clash of the invitation with the Federal Executive Council meeting.
The Senate had earlier invited the heads of security and some para-military agencies following a motion sponsored by Sen. Suleiman Hunkunyi on the security situation in the country.
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Others invited to brief the Chamber were the Chief of Defence Staff, Inspector-General of Police, Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Director-General of the Department of State Services, and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin and the Director-General, Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, were physically present while others sent representatives.
Monguno was invited to brief the lawmakers on the “proliferation of firearms, spate of killings by terrorists and kidnapping by hoodlums across the country.”
The NSA, who was led into the chamber by the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, was grilled behind closed doors for about three and a half hours.
Emerging from the interaction, President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, said, “He answered questions from distinguished senators bordering on security — insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping, co-ordination of the security agencies and the general killings in the country.
“Thereafter, we directed that he submits a funding request similar to other heads of security agencies that had come before us and to submit consideration where relevant amendments to existing laws involving security agencies need consideration.”
The Senate had, on May 23, grilled heads of security agencies over the spate of insecurity across the country. The meeting, which lasted four hours, was also held behind closed doors.
In attendance were the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura; and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin. Heads of other military and paramilitary agencies had sent their representatives.
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