By Frontline Reporters
Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase, on Wednesday revealed that suspected Boko Haram members and other criminal elements were once discovered on recruitment lists of the Nigerian Army and Police.
Wase made the revelation during a special plenary session on the state of national security, warning that the infiltration of security institutions by criminally minded individuals poses a grave threat to the country.
He said his claims could be verified by former Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, now Chairman of the Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, Muktar Betara.
According to him, “My brother and friend, the former Defence Committee Chairman, Honourable 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 cautioned lawmakers and political leaders against endorsing unvetted candidates for military and police recruitment, stressing that only credible and trustworthy individuals should be recommended.
He disclosed that he had personally lost a brother, cousin and nephew to terrorist attacks. He added that the North Central region accounts for about 52 per cent of Nigeria’s insecurity burden. He also shared a distressing message from his younger brother who pleaded to be relocated from their violence-ridden community.
Wase further called for a review of the presidential directive withdrawing police officers from VIP protection duties. While acknowledging the rationale behind the policy, he argued that categories must be clearly defined to avoid exposing key officials to danger.
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 deepening economic hardship.
He argued that a purely kinetic response would not solve the problem, urging a combination of security operations, governance reforms, environmental management and economic development.
“Lasting peace depends on rebuilding trust in government, reforming land and livestock systems, and ensuring communities help shape solutions,” Soli said.
Representing the North-East Caucus, Betara noted that the region remains the “ground zero of terrorism, insurgency and recurring communal violence,” recalling tragedies from the 2015 Baga massacre to a series of deadly bombings.
“Our challenges are massive, but with coordinated action, commitment and sound strategy, we can restore confidence and halt the relentless spread of violence,” he stated.
A South-South lawmaker, 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 as banditry downplays its severity.
Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Kafilat Ogbara, lamented the devastating impact of insecurity on women and children, especially in light of the 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.
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