Jonathan holds first security meeting with new service chiefs

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday held the first security meeting with the newly appointed Service Chiefs at the Presidential Villa to assess the security situation bedeviling the country.

Those who attended the meeting included the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh, Chief of Army Staff, Major General Kenneth Minimah, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Adesola Amosu.

Others are National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd); Director General of the State Security Service ( SSS); Ita Ekpeyong and Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar and DG Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke.

The meeting which lasted for several hours was believed to have centered on the rising onslaught of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram and other insurgents in the northeast which have claimed many lives in the past few days.

The security chiefs refused to entertain questions from newsmen and no statement was issued at the end of the meeting.

When approached by State House correspondents for comment on the meeting, the new Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh declined comment and said: “I will only speak if you will allow me speak in my dialect.”

It could be recalled that the new Service Chiefs were appointed on January 16 by the President in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Constitution and were last week Thursday confirmed by the Senate of the Federal Republic.

The new Chief of Defence Staff took over from Admiral Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim while Minimah took over from Lieutenant -General Azubike Ihejirika as Chief of Army Staff.

Rear Admiral Jibrin took over from Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba as Chief of Naval Staff while Air Vice Marshal Amosu took over from Air Marshal Badeh as Chief of Air Staff.