The National Security Summit being organised by the National Assembly is a waste of resources and time, a former member of the House of Representatives, Professor Haruna Yerima, has said.
Professor Yerima’s statement is coming two days after the federal government, through the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, pledged full support for the summit.
Last week, Mr Badaru had dismissed the idea of another security summit, saying it was not necessary.
Professor Yerima, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday that, “The planned two-day security summit would end up as another tea-party that would not produce anything capable of de-escalating the security challenges ravaging the country.
“In 2021, the 9th Assembly, under the leadership of Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, organised a national security summit. What did it achieve? The answer is nothing,” the university teacher said.
He said four years after the Lawan-Gbajabiamila’s security summit, most of the proposals from that summit are lying on government shelves gathering dust, with no white paper issued or any significant legislative follow-ups.
He said Nigeria doesn’t need some politicians, academics and bureaucrats blowing grammar–lamenting on our lethal security challenges. “What is needed to route the rampaging bandits, insurgents, secessionists, and communal warriors is clear political will, a robust intelligence gathering network, inter-service synergy, and motivated, trained and well-equipped security forces.”
He said the National Assembly has a clear statutory role of holding the security chiefs and all other appointees holding security-related positions accountable through its oversight functions.
“The National Assembly is constitutionally empowered to appropriate funds and perform oversight on all federal agencies. They should deploy those mechanisms to find out why the security situation is not abating despite the trillions of naira channelled into defence and security in the last 10 years,” the former lawmaker said.
Professor Yerima said Nigerians would be aghast at another summit where lamentations and grammar would carry the day. “What Nigerians want is action, not a tea party. They have had enough of terror unleashed by these non-state actors across the country daily. They simply want an end to it,” he said.
While condemning the attacks and consoling the victims, the former lawmaker said, “The security summit would not stop the attacks recently launched by the Boko Haram insurgents in Marte Rann, Gajiram, Dikwa and other areas. What would stop the attacks is a new strategy and commitment by the armed forces.”
He urged the National Assembly to utilise its constitutional powers “To make the security architecture work, by ensuring that our armed forces are trained, motivated and equipped not only with hardware but also with an active intelligence network. They should equally hold the security chiefs if they fail to secure the country”.
Meanwhile, the Senate on Wednesday held an interactive session with critical stakeholders from various sectors to harmonise ideas and agenda for the forthcoming national security summit.
Experts and key players from the telecommunications, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), security and other sectors were brought together at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja for the interactive session with the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, led by Senator Afolabi Shuaib.
The session was officially declared open by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central).
Speaking during the event, Senator Shuaib (Ogun Central) said, “Technology has become a double-edged sword.” He said, “While it fuels economic growth, it’s also being hijacked to power kidnapping, cyber fraud, and online harassment. If we don’t act now, we will be chasing shadows at the summit.”
In his opening remarks, Senator Bamidele said, “We are here to listen, to learn, and to legislate better. The Renewed Hope Agenda places technology at the heart of our national development. But we cannot reap its full benefits unless we build digital safety into the foundation.”
Senator Ned Nwoko, however, questioned the absence of social media giants like Facebook and Instagram at the event. “Would having them physically present in Nigeria improve collaboration and data access for tracking crimes? Should we compel them to establish offices here?” he asked.
Daily Trust reports that the interactive session was designed to identify gaps, harness sectoral insights and shape the agenda for the national security summit.
