TheCable

The service chiefs are meeting with the leadership of the house of representatives, after ignoring a previous invitation last week.

The security chiefs except Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, are present at the meeting taking place at the National Assembly Complex as of the time of filing this report.

Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker, had invited them to discuss the country’s security crisis. But they did not show up  when it was first scheduled last Friday.

Only Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police; Yusuf Bichi, director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), and Muhammed Babandede, comptroller-general of the Nigerian Immigration Service, had attended.

The absence of the service chiefs angered Gbajabiamila who threatened to report them to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Present at the meeting on Monday, are Sadique Abubakar, chief of air staff; Ibok-Ete Ibas, chief of naval staff, among other security chiefs.

But the police IG is not present at the meeting which is being held behind closed doors.

Gbajabiamila had said the meeting was convened to enable the leadership of the lower legislative chamber to seek ways to improve the country’s security.

“I don’t know of any parliament in the world where the head of parliament will call the service chiefs on a nagging problem on how to resolve it and you won’t show up,” he had said.

“We will postpone this meeting till Monday morning, I will personally see the president myself because we are supposed to work as one.

“I know some of these chiefs were somewhere yesterday night, I’m aware of that. It shows the disdain for this institution.”