Security will improve in next two months, says Lawan as he meets Buhari

THE Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, has said no issue should be accorded priority, in the country right now, than that of security.

Lawan said after meeting with President Buhari behind closed doors, yesterday, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“There is nothing more important today or more topical than the security of Nigeria,” stated the Senate president.

He added, “We have discussed, we had a very extensive discussion on the security of all parts of Nigeria, and how we should go about improving the situation, we all have roles to play.

“Nobody would like to see the kind of thing that we are experiencing in various parts of the country in the form of insecurity.”

Lawan said it is the responsibility of the government to secure the environment for Nigerians to earn their means of livelihood.

He assured Nigerians that the nation will witness some activities aimed at improving security within two months.

The Senate President said the desire of government was to see farmers return to farms before the rain starts.

This, he said, meant that the government must secure the rural parts of Nigeria as well as the urban centres.

He added, “I believe that between now and probably the next two months, there will be a lot of activities to ensure that we secure environments for people to live a very normal life, where we also believe that the government is headed in the right direction.

“Recall that the National Economic Council approved taking some funds from the Excess Crude Accounts with a view to giving more resources to our armed forces.

“This is a commendable effort and we are ready to help with appropriation to ensure that we buy those things required for security.”

Lawan said Nigerians believe strongly in the unity of the country and that was why they live in any part of the country irrespective of their ethnicity.

He said political leaders were supposed to ensure that they support that kind of feeling by protecting everybody.

Noting that it would take collective and concerted efforts to improve the country’s security; the Senate President urged the state governments and traditional rulers to support the Federal Government.

He also said he discussed the issue of the Niger Delta Development Commission with the President.

He said, “We also had discussions on the need to ensure that government functions very well. So, we have few issues. These are housekeeping issues of getting the NDDC governing board’s nominations.

“I agree with Mr President that we have to complete the forensic audit to ensure that everything is done properly and the report is submitted to him. It is significant that whoever is found culpable should be treated as such.

“That will serve as a lesson and as a deterrent to others, because NDDC should have transformed the Niger Delta into a better environment than what it has been since the NDDC was created by a law of the National Assembly in 2000 or so.

“We are talking about almost two decades. That should have been a sufficient time, given the resources that were deployed into the entity. So, we need to sanitise the NDDC and get the resources fully deployed in developing the Niger Delta.”