The deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has called for the establishment of a Space Force to enhance surveillance against terrorists and other criminal elements. 

Mr Kalu spoke at the closing of a two-day retreat organised for members of the House Committee on Defence by the National Defence College in Abuja on Saturday.

He said the specialised force would go a long way to assist the existing security agencies in defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

“It is high time Nigeria moved from the usual and known mechanism for fighting insurgencies into space to achieve unusual results,“ said Mr Kalu. 

The lawmaker added that a Space Service Chief, or Chief of Space Staff could also be appointed to head the force for proactive space security.

“In some countries, you have Space Service Chiefs, what are we doing about that? There is a need for one to be created; we are beyond what is obvious.

“Some of the warfare is now taking place in space, and I can assure you, if we ignore that, we will not be doing justice to the mandate of protecting the territorial borders of this country,” he said.

Mr Kalu added,“ So it is high time we start looking beyond what happens here, think about what happens up there, the space.”

Rep. Babajide Benson, the chairman of the House Committee on Defence, lauded the quality leadership of Speaker Abbas-led in the 10th House of Representatives.

He assured that the committee would work closely with the defence sector to achieve the legislative agenda of the green chamber and nipping security challenges in the bud.

(NAN)