KEY POINTS

• Security infiltration in Nigeria alarms lawmakers.
• Boko Haram suspects appeared on recruitment lists.
• Leaders demand reforms to stop security infiltration in Nigeria.

Former Deputy Speaker Idris Wase warned lawmakers that suspected Boko Haram members and other criminals were once discovered on recruitment lists for the Nigerian Army and police. He delivered the revelation during a special plenary session on Nigeria’s deteriorating security landscape, stressing that the infiltration of security institutions threatens national stability.

Wase, who represents Wase Federal Constituency in Plateau State, said his claims were verifiable through Muktar Betara, a former Chairman of the House Committee on Defence. He recalled recruitment cycles where the names of known Boko Haram suspects, armed robbers and other criminal elements appeared on official shortlists for military and police roles.

Concerns deepen as security infiltration in Nigeria worsens

He urged lawmakers to stop endorsing unvetted candidates for sensitive positions, insisting that only trustworthy individuals should be recommended for national service. Wase, who disclosed that he lost a brother, cousin and nephew to terrorist attacks, said the North Central now bears about 52 percent of Nigeria’s insecurity burden. He recounted a plea from a younger brother who begged to be relocated due to sustained violence in their community.

He also questioned the presidential directive withdrawing police officers from VIP protection duties. While supporting the intention behind the policy, he argued that proper categorization was necessary to avoid exposing critical public officials to avoidable risks.

Sada Soli, speaking for the North-West Caucus, said criminal networks, environmental pressures, weak governance, and worsening economic hardship are driving the region’s crisis. He argued that a purely force-based response would fail and called for a mix of security operations, governance reforms and economic interventions that rebuild trust and address root causes.

Muktar Betara, representing the North-East Caucus, reminded lawmakers that the region remains the “ground zero” of terrorism, citing tragedies from the 2015 Baga massacre to repeated bomb attacks that have killed civilians and security personnel.

South-South lawmaker Solomon Bob accused successive administrations of lacking the political will to confront terrorism, saying past governments negotiated with killers instead of enforcing the law.

Kafilat Ogbara, who is in charge of the House Committee on Women Affairs, talked about how insecurity affects women and children more than males. She used the recent kidnappings in Papiri and Kamba as examples of how the government is not doing its job to protect lives.