Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Idris Wase (APC, Plateau) on Wednesday rebuked Aviation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, Chief of Defense Staff Lucky Irabor and other officials for failing to appear in person before the ad hoc Chamber. . committee.
The House had set up the committee to investigate the recent Kaduna-Abuja train bombing and the Kaduna airport attack.
He subsequently summoned Messrs. Amaechi and Irabor to appear before the commission.
The lower house also summoned Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika; the Chief of the Army General Staff, Faruk Yahaya; Chief of Air Staff; the Director General of the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN); the managing director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria; the Inspector General of Police, Usman Akali; the National Security Advisor, Mohammed Monguno and others.
However, none of the invited officials appeared in person before the committee, but instead sent representatives.
terrorist attacks
PREMIUM TIMES reported how terrorists planted explosives on the tracks, causing damage to the Kaduna-bound train, while shooting sporadically at passengers aboard the train.
At least eight people have been confirmed dead in the attack, while others are still missing, according to the Kaduna State Government.
The incident occurred on Monday night, a few days after Kaduna airport security was breached.
vice president smoke
Mr. Wase rebuked the officials, pointing out that he was forced not to continue the hearing without the main guests.
“I am forced as vice president not to continue the meeting because the accountants are the ones who are supposed to be here while we provide them with the necessary support.
“So, we can’t continue. I say this with a heavy heart, no matter what task our generals are handling, I believe parliament needs a listening ear. This is the People’s House.
“I’m sad. I am not happy. I am expressing my disappointment. I don’t know if he has a tangible excuse because out of all the agencies we invited, none have the respect of having an executive director. None. We may be considered pranksters, but we are not pranksters,” she said.
Abel Olaitan, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Aviation, told the committee that Mr. Sirika was on an official mission that was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari before the attacks.
However, Wase asked the permanent secretary not to invoke the president’s name to justify the minister’s action.
“Please don’t use the president’s name. Please do not use the president’s name. If he’s out of the country, he’s out of the country. This institution is not under the presidency. It is an institution of its own,” Wase said, visibly angry.
Similarly, the representative of the Army, OT Akinjobi, Major General of the Nigerian Army, said that the CDS and the service chiefs were in a meeting at the direction of the president.
In reaction to the army’s excuse, Mr. Wase said that the excuse was not genuine and pointed out that the military chiefs could have appeared before the committee, even if it was for 20 minutes.
He added that the “situation is almost like blackmailing the government. Today we are losing our only pride that we can display. That critical infrastructure that is about to be destroyed is one of the administration’s legacies.”
The excuse given by the police representative, Sanusi Lemo, was also dismissed by the vice president.
Mr. Lemo had said that the operational officers appeared before the committee because of the importance attached to parliament.
The vice president said the officials’ appearance “is not a favor done to us in any way.”
He added that “it is not done anywhere. If they are here, they are here to account for what is their responsibility and that is the only place where they can give a proper account.”
Consequently, the committee adjourned the hearing until Thursday.
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