Hours after senators threatened to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari if the current security situation did not improve, the president summoned an emergency meeting of the National Security Council for today.
Senate Minority Leader, Philip Aduda (PDP, FCT), who led a walkout after Senate President Ahmad Lawan vetoed a move to debate the recent security challenges, said the lawmakers had agreed to a six weeks ultimatum on the president to address the current spate of insecurity or get impeached.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who spoke on the lawmakers’ threat while fielding questions after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House, Abuja, said the federal government was on top of the security challenge.
He thanked the senators for their concern but said the government was on top of the security situation in the country as steps were being taken to address their anxiety over the current development.
Mohammed said “Resolution passed by Senators, as rightly said, it was passed when we were deliberating, but we thank them for their patriotism and their concern, but we are working round the clock, 24 hours, to ensure that the situation is brought under control.
“I want to assure you that the president is aware of all these and as a matter of fact, I think tomorrow, there’s going to be another Security Council meeting.
So, it’s not a matter the president is taking lightly and like I’ll always say, some of the measures we’re going to take are not measures that you can discuss openly here, but we’re as concerned as you are, we’re not going to abandon our responsibility.”
The minister also described as laughable and mere propaganda the threat by terrorists to kidnap President Buhari.
“As to those who have issued threats to Mr. President, I think it’s more of propaganda than anything. It’s laughable.