Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase, on Wednesday warned that suspected Boko Haram members and other criminal elements have at times appeared on the recruitment lists of the Nigerian Army and Police, posing a significant threat to national security.
Wase, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker representing Wase Federal Constituency in Plateau State, made the disclosure during a special plenary session on the state of security in the country. He said the claim could be confirmed 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, the former Defence Committee Chairman, 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 said.
He urged caution in endorsing candidates for military and police recruitment, stressing that only credible and trustworthy individuals should be recommended. The lawmaker also revealed that he has lost a brother, cousin, and nephew to terrorist attacks, highlighting the personal impact of insecurity in the North Central region, which he said bears about 52 per cent of the country’s overall insecurity burden.
Wase also called for a review of the presidential directive withdrawing police officers from VIP protection duties, arguing that categories must be clearly defined to avoid unnecessary risks to key officials.
Speaking for the North West Caucus, Sada Soli described the region’s insecurity as “complex and layered,” driven by criminality, environmental pressures, weak governance, and worsening economic conditions. He stressed that lasting peace requires a combination of security operations, governance reforms, environmental management, and economic development.
Muktar Betara, speaking for the North East Caucus, said the region remains “ground zero” for terrorism, insurgency, and recurring communal violence, citing incidents from the 2015 Baga massacre to recent bomb blasts.
Representing the South South, Hon Solomon Bob (PDP, Rivers) criticised successive administrations for failing to confront insecurity, accusing governments of negotiating with terrorists rather than enforcing the law.
Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Kafilat Ogbara, highlighted the disproportionate toll on women and children, citing recent mass abductions in Papiri and Kamba, and described the situation as a breach of the state’s core obligation to protect lives and property.