Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase, has revealed that suspected Boko Haram members and other criminal elements were once discovered on recruitment lists of the Nigerian Army and Police.
Speaking during a special plenary session on national security on Wednesday, Wase, an APC lawmaker now representing Wase Federal Constituency in Plateau State, warned that infiltration of security institutions by criminally-minded individuals poses a grave threat to national stability.
He said his claim could be corroborated by Hon. Muktar Betara, former Chairman of the House Committee on Defence and current Chairman of the Committee on the Federal Capital Territory. “My brother and friend, Hon Betara, can attest to this. There were recruitment exercises where names of known Boko Haram members appeared on the shortlist. Armed robbers and other criminals were also found among those cleared for the Army and Police,” Wase stated.
He cautioned against reckless endorsements of candidates for military and police recruitment, stressing that only credible individuals should be recommended. Wase, who disclosed that he lost a brother, cousin, and nephew to terrorist attacks, said the North Central accounts for about 52 percent of Nigeria’s insecurity burden. He recalled a plea from his younger brother, who begged to be relocated from their violence-stricken community.
Wase also urged a review of the presidential directive withdrawing police officers from VIP protection duties. While acknowledging the intent of the policy, he argued that categories must be clearly defined to avoid exposing key officials to danger.
Representing the North West Caucus, Sada Soli described insecurity in the region as “complex and layered,” driven by criminality, environmental pressures, weak governance, and worsening economic conditions. He stressed that a purely military response would be insufficient, calling for reforms in governance, environmental management, and economic development. “Lasting peace depends on rebuilding trust in government, reforming land and livestock systems, and ensuring that communities help shape solutions,” Soli said.
For the North East Caucus, Betara described the region as “ground zero of terrorism, insurgency and recurring communal violence.” He recalled tragedies such as the 2015 Baga massacre and bomb blasts that claimed lives of civilians and security personnel. “Our challenges are massive, but with coordinated action, commitment, and sound strategy, we can restore confidence and stop the relentless spread of violence,” he said.
From the South South, Hon. Solomon Bob (PDP, Rivers) accused successive administrations of lacking the political will to confront insecurity. “Since 1999, what we have seen is leadership failure. Governments have chosen to placate terrorists, negotiating with killers instead of enforcing the law,” he said, adding that describing terrorism merely as banditry downplays its severity.
Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Kafilat Ogbara, lamented the heavy toll insecurity has taken on women and children, citing recent mass abductions in Papiri and Kamba. “These are not just security failures; they represent a breach of the state’s core obligation to safeguard lives and property,” she said.
