In the face of security threats and breaches in the form of bomb blasts terrorist assaults, kidnappings armed robbery and cultism etc, it has become increasingly harder to secure the safety of lives and property and the daily challenges of tackling these unwholesome anti-social and criminal activities continue to task the brains and brawns of the various law enforcement agencies both nationally and globally. On our shores, the battle against the North-eastern insurgents, the Niger Delta militants, killer herdsmen and separatist agitators in the South-east has fully engaged the various law enforcement agencies who are definitely winning the hearts and minds of the populace. It takes resilience, diligence, astuteness and a tough minded approach geared towards achieving results as well as stated goals and objectives to defeat terrorists, criminals and assorted anti-social elements and this was ably demonstrated by a principled and uncompromising Hon Aliyu Gebi, then Chairman House Committee on Internal Security (2011-2015) when he fortuitously articulated a series of security measures and initiatives that went a long way in securing thousands of lives as well as property estimated at hundreds of billions of naira from the rampaging terrorists that stalked the nation at the height of the Northeast insurgency then raging.After being handed down the onerous task of securing the vast NASS complex shortly after the 4th of June 2011 inauguration, a fastidous Hon Aliyu Gebi did not just cobble together a set of hastily formulated rules and regulations in order to garner transient popularity, rather a forward looking Hon Gebi burnt the midnight oil, taking days, even weeks to unveil a series of well formulated and assiduously articulated policies and measures geared towards concretising the security architecture of the sprawling NASS complex. In raising the security threshold in and around the NASS precincts, a collegiate Hon Aliyu Gebi did not run a one man show or an authoritarian, technocratic style, rather he encouraged the input of ideas and opinions from all stakeholders involved in this massive security arrangement, rather unprecedented in the annals of the National Assembly. However, a result oriented Hon Aliyu Gebi who believes in utmost diligence and unvarnished competence did not suffer fools gladly for long as those members of his security team that were attuned to laxity and indolence were quickly shown the way out leaving room for focused and purposeful team mates. One of the most courageous and far reaching decisions taken by the Hon Aliyu Gebiled task force was to order all cars and vehicles to be parked outside the NASS main gate except for cars belonging to the federal legislators and directors/deputy directors of the management cadre, no more, no less. Despite the howls of protest from those denied entry, a resolute Hon Aliyu Gebi was adamant at ensuring that this security re-enforcing regulation was carried out to the letter not minding whose ox was gored in the process. Without doubt the limited parking measure went a long way in raising the NASS security threshold as that period witnessed a lot of car bombing terrorist escapades by the North-east insurgent including the notorious assassination attempt against the then IGP, Hafiz Ringim which engulfed part of the Police Force Headquarters in flames. In those perilous days of 2012-2014 when the terrorist insurgency was at its peak and substantial part of the North-east were in their control and Abuja was being rocked by terrorist bombings here and there, an unwavering Hon Aliyu Gebi, stood firm just like Sir Winston Churchill during the famous Battle of Britain, in the irrevocable belief that there will be no retreat, no surrender, no flinching and no withdrawal until ultimate victory is achieved over the terrorists. Apart from fortifying the entire NASS structure by increasing co-operation between the various security agencies and establishing a joint task force to co-ordinate intelligence gathering, information collaboration and the sharing of data, intelligence, information and tips, Hon Aliyu Gebi also lent his voice to the national security situation by penning a forthright and auspicious open letter to then President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012 where he courageously called for the immediate sack of the entire armed forces service chiefs on account of their gross incompetence and blatant mismanagement of the war against the North-east insurgents. Despite the expected controversy generated by the Hon Gebis unassailable letter it was clear to all and sundry that he meant well for the country given his resounding performance in ensuring the overall safety and security of the NASS complex from 2011-2015. As one who does not share fame and glory alone, an unassuming Hon Aliyu Gebi equally adulated his peers and colleagues for their co-operation and camaraderie in the onerous task of securing the NASS complex. In 2012 Hon Gebi observed thus: Recently we did something that has never been done in the history of NASS and the leadership duly obliged us. We applied for two vehicles, one for the joint task force and one for sergeant at arms so that their work will be easier. I presented the requisition to the Speaker (Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal) and in less than one minute, he approved it. To show you the synergy between our house committees, I went to Hon Yakubu Dogara, the House Services Committee Chairman with the file personally and he endorsed it. Yesterday, the vehicles were delivered and we presented them to the officials; everything was done with dispatch and transparency-BABAJIDE-wrote in from Abuja
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