The Senate President Ahmed Lawn again led the Senate Monday to a meeting with the nation’s security chiefs charging the heads of relevant security agencies and the judiciary to expedite prosecution of apprehended terrorists and oil thieves in the country.

The Senate said such action would rekindle the hopes and assurances of Nigerians that the laws of the land were sacrosanct and no one was above them

The senate also noted that nobody should undermine the statutes as well as the stability of the country or stealing her resources and go scot free.

Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan, who gave the charge during a follow up interactive session with the Service Chiefs, Inspector General of Police and heads of other security agencies, said allowing apprehended terrorists or oil thieves to escape justice, will not augur well for the country.

“While we fight the insecurity in the country, sometimes we capture bandits alive as well as those stealing crude oil on daily basis.

“We want to see trials of people who are caught because when this happens, citizens will know that nobody, no matter how highly that person is, can go scot free if he or she decides to get involved in this kind of criminal activity.

“We also appeal to our courts, the judiciary that once we have cases like this, we must give expeditious consideration. Because these are the issues that today, are militating against our stability and even against our democracy.

‘We lose so much of our fuel. As at the last count, the report was we export just little above 900,000 barrels and that is just about 50 per cent of quantity expected to be exported .It is supposed to be 1.8 million barrels per day and that is having our revenues and resources for development.

“The judiciary should therefore give special consideration, once an oil thief is taken to court, we must prosecute them because is not enough just take away whatever they have stolen and say go and sin no more,”, Lawan stressed.

Lawan also appealed to the Security Chiefs to take them(law makers) into confidence during the closed door session.

“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 blind folded or without the necessary background information.

“Where there are requests or requirements to enhance the capacity and the competence for Armed Forces and other security agencies, I think we should consider that as a priority as well,” the Senate President said.

He, however, commended the Security Chiefs for the remarkable difference made within the last four months in the war against insurgency and banditry.

The Senate President said that the security, as appropriated for in the 2021 and 2022 national budgets, will take the lion share of the 2023 budgets in terms of appropriation.

Those who were with the Senate President at the interactive session which later went into closed door, are the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo – Agege, the Senate Leader, Senator Ibrahim Gobir , the Chief Whip , Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and the Deputy Senate Leader Senator Ajayi Boroffice.

Others were the Deputy Whip of the Senate, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the Minority Whip , Senator Chukwuka Utazi , Chairman,, Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Thompson Sekibo, Chairman , Senate Committee on Air Force, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah etc .

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