2023-07-17 14:05:00
Independent Newspapers Nigeria
ABUJA - The House of Representatives has on Monday commenced the screening of the service chiefs appointed by President Bola Tinubu.
House Ad-hoc Committee on the Screening of Service Chief nominees, on Monday began with screening the Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Christopher Musa and the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taureed Lagbaja
The Chairman of the adhoc Committee, Mr Babajimi Benson, said the exercise was a necessary constitutional provision in the process of institutionalizing and legitimizing the appointment of persons for the positions of service chiefs of the Armed Forces of country
Mr Benson stated that the House take the role seriously and always do it meticulously in accordance with its extant rules.
According to him, for more than sixteen years, Nigeria has witnessed diverse and unprecedented level of insecurity in which the Armed Forces have been fully involved, prompting the launch of several theatres of operations and exercises as well as providing support for tackling several domestic security challenges.
"The House of Representatives is delighted with the successes recorded so far, especially in the last one year. We acknowledge these robust achievements which is a proof of the level of professionalism often displayed by our military in the discharge of their duties. We urge you to effectively collaborate with sister security agencies to ensure that all security threats are completely neutralized, and Nigerians can live peacefully," he said.
The Committee Chairman observed that new security threats are emerging across the globe, where wars are not only fought on the land, sea and air, but also in the cyberspace.
He stressed the need for Nigeria to harness the potential of having a Defence Space Force like in the United States of America.
Mr Benson also emphasize the need for a Defence Space Force to adequately handle potential threats from the cyber space and provide intelligence support to other services.
He assured the House resolve to work collectively to deliver more on the goals of the administration to drastically reduce cases of insecurity across the country, through legislative activities, rigorous oversight exercises, beginning from the screening, to ensure that the Armed Forces of Nigeria adhere strictly to the provisions of all Appropriation Acts as will be eventually passed by the National Assembly and accented to by the President.
The Committee Chairman urged them to cooperate with the National Assembly while performing their constitutional duties of ensuring a peaceful, secure and prosperous country for all Nigerians.
In their separate remarks, the nominees pledged their determination to transform the nation's armed forces into a world class professional body to safeguard the country.
Speaking, the Chief of Army Staff, Major Gen.Taoreed Lagbaja has said that the Nigeria Army is the most misunderstood, complex and challenged component of the Nigeria Armed forces.
He stated this at the Screening of service chiefs while he appeared before the House ad-Hoc committee on screening.
According to him, security challenges in the last two decades has made governance more challenging, adding that it has disrupted developmental progress in the country.
He said: "I consider my nomination as a call to higher responsibilities and I am determined not to betray the trust and confidence reposed in me. It is an open secret that our country has faced a challenging security environment in the past two decades. It has impacted adversely on our socio economic and political lives.
"The episodic crises of the past have now become enduring thereby making governance and the rule of law more challenging for successive administrations.
"Today's painful reality is that insecurity has distred our developetal plans and aspirations of a strong, prosperous, globally competitive and influential nation. Never in the recents is the requirement for proactive, adaptive and inclusive leadership more needed than Nigeria;s security environment of today.
"These requirements are what I intend to do as COAS if confirmed. I am mindful that the Nigerian Army, which I am being screened to lead is a crucial component of our military instrument of national power. It is not only the largest, but the most complex, most geographically spread, most sought after during crisis and often most misunderstood.
"I believe that for the Nigerian Army to grapple with the demands of the contemporary security environment, it would consistently transform to be a step ahead of its time.
"For this reason I conscentualize my philosophy of command as to transform the Nigerian Army into a well trained, equipped na highly motivated force towards achieving our constitutional responsibilities within a joint environment. I intend to partner with the National Assembly and other stakeholders in achieving this command philosophy," he added.
Speaking also at the screening, the Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Christopher Musa said that the Arm Forces of Nigeria (AFN) will apply the lens of people-centricity to key components of activities to truly put the Nigerian people at the centre of its actions geared towards promoting and safeguarding a secure environment for all.
He further said that the AFN will defend the countries territorial integrity and democracy as well as safeguard internal security and unity to achieve the stability required to guarantee sustainable national development.
"I recognize the significance of leading the thousands of devoted and distinguished service men and women to provide a secure and peaceful environment for the Nigerian people to freely engage in their legitimate enterprise in line with the constitutional mandate of the AFN.
"In this regard, the AFN under my leadership will be people-centric by prioritizing and safeguarding our people and their legitimate way of life as prescribed by the Nigerian Constitution.
Speaking on welfare of the troops, Musa said troops' welfare and sound administration will provide the required atmosphere for the AFN to deliver on its constitutional responsibilities. Thus, the AFN will continue to seek ways and means to improve the welfare of its personnel under my watch.
"In this regard, service men and women of the AFN should be reassured of my commitment to their welfare, provision of relevant operational equipment as well as infrastructural development within available resources to enable them to succeed in assigned constitutional roles.
"I shall also promote international military cooperation/ collaboration to further expose and provide capacity building to AEN personnel in joint and combined operations outside the shores of Nigeria.
"This measure is required to consolidate on AFN welfare priorities in order to effectively deploy, fight and win our nation's wars by providing ready, prompt and sustained land, sea and air dominance by the AFN across traditional as well as asymmetric conflict settings as part of a joint force," he said.