Chukwu David 
The absence of National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and others, yesterday stalled the earlier proposed interface of the Senate with service chiefs and heads of security agencies.
The Senate had on Tuesday last week summoned the Service Chiefs and heads of security agencies for grilling in plenary. The planned interface was specifically fixed for yesterday and today.
However, the Senate in plenary yesterday announced that the inter- face could not hold due to absence of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa. President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the plenary, made the announcement, saying that apology was received from Ribadu in his absence but that he and the Chief of Defence Staff must be present at the very important session.
He also pointed out that apart from Ribadu and General Musa; the Senate had also resolved to add other security heads to the planned interactive session. Those expected to be in attendance are the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawale, Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Geidam, Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Ibrahim, Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, Minister of Finance, Olawale Edun, and Director General of the Na- tional Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar. Akpabio, in his re- marks, thanked the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Hassan Abubakar, the In- spector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and Director General of Depart- ment of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, for honour- ing the invitation.
“We thank you all for honouring our invitation for the very important interface on the way out of the lingering security crisis at hand. But due to the absence of the NSA and the Chief of Defence Staff, the interactive session will no longer hold today.
“Besides, the Senate in its wisdom has decided to add other public officers whose offices are connected to security matters, to be part of the interactive session. “Clerk of the Senate, has been directed to write them ahead of Tuesday next week, now fixed for the session. “We need their presence along with those of you here today, for holistic and comprehensive brain- storming on the problem at hand and required solu- tion,” he said.
