News
Senate holds closed door screening with acting COAS, Lt Gen Oluyede
The Senate, on Wednesday, held a closed-door screening session for the acting Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja. The screening was conducted by the Senate Committee on the Army, chaired by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, in Room 211 of the Senate New Building.
The screening follows President Bola Tinubu’s formal nomination of Oluyede for confirmation as the Chief of Army Staff, a request conveyed in a letter to the Senate on Tuesday.
Opening Remarks
In his opening statement, Senator Yar’Adua underscored the critical role of the National Assembly in fostering peace, order, and good governance, especially in the area of national security. He described the screening process as an important step toward fulfilling constitutional obligations.
“This screening exercise is a demonstration of our commitment to uphold the laws of the Federation and the constitutional principles guiding national security,” Yar’Adua said.
Focus on Security Challenges
Yar’Adua highlighted the numerous security challenges facing Nigeria, including terrorism, insurgency, and other forms of criminal activity. He commended the armed forces for their dedication to addressing these issues but emphasized the need for strong leadership to overcome persistent threats.
“This screening aims to evaluate the nominee’s professional skills, strategic vision for national security, and ability to address the country’s pressing security issues. We will also assess his proposals for improving military funding and the welfare of personnel,” Yar’Adua added.
Closed-Door Deliberations
Given the sensitive nature of the discussions, the committee opted to conduct the screening behind closed doors. During the session, Yar’Adua urged Lt. Gen. Oluyede to outline his vision for bolstering Nigeria’s security framework and enhancing the military’s ability to tackle both internal and external threats.
“The security of our nation is paramount, and this exercise provides an opportunity to chart a path forward under the leadership of the nominee,” Yar’Adua stated.
Next Steps
The Senate Committee on the Army is expected to compile its findings and recommendations from the screening and present them to the full Senate for further legislative consideration. This step will determine whether Lt. Gen. Oluyede will be confirmed as the substantive Chief of Army Staff.
The process highlights the Senate’s commitment to ensuring that key military appointments align with the country’s security needs and constitutional provisions.
According to him, such financial mishandling not only disrupts critical public services and projects but also results in major losses to the nation’s purse—resources that could have been channelled into crucial services and developmental efforts, as laid out in Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution.
Speaker Abbas, thereafter setup a Special Committee to be chaired by Rep. Chinedu Martins to immediately launch a probe into the “Utilisation of take-off grants, bailout funds, and interventions allocated to MDAs, government institutions, and GOEs from 2015 to present.”
The FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, expressed satisfaction with the progress on the Abuja light rail project, reaffirming its May 29 delivery as sacrosanct.
He made these assurances after inspecting the ongoing construction of access roads to the train stations on Wednesday, from Metro Train Station in the Central Area to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Reassuring journalists accompanying him, the minister reiterated that President Bola Tinubu would commission the rail project on May 29 to mark his second year in office.
The visited stations were Wupa station near Idu and Bassanjiwa station near the airport.
“This is part of our routine inspection of ongoing projects to see the contractors’ progress,” Wike explained.
“We are working day and night to fulfill our promise to President Tinubu and FCT residents. By May, Mr. President will ride on the Metro line.”
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen are currently invading some communities in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to sources, the herdsmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed the community around 04:15pm on Thursday.
“Our lives are in danger this evening, armed Fulani herdsmen, about 600 in numbers have taken over our communities this evening,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
“They’re currently moving around towns in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue state. No security personnel at all, Governor Alia didn’t send security, they said operation will start soon once they (herders) have observed the place.”
The insecurity situation in Benue has been alarming in recent weeks with attacks from gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.
The media had reported that suspected herdsmen again unleashed terror in Benue State, attacking three communities in Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) on Wednesday, just a day after 11 people were killed in a deadly raid on Otobi community.
The latest victims of the escalating violence were Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju, communities that had previously suffered an attack in February, which left five people dead.
However, the renewed attack has created fear and mass displacement among residents, with women and children fleeing to safety.
Local sources say the death toll from the fresh attack remains unclear, but several casualties are feared.
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