Lawmakers Warn of Security Infiltration, Demand Stronger Recruitment Checks
Chukwu Obinna 
House of Representative
ABUJA, Nigeria – Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase, has raised concerns that individuals linked to extremist groups and criminal activities were previously found on recruitment lists for the Nigerian Army and police.
He made the disclosure on Wednesday during a special plenary session on national security in Abuja.
Wase, who represents Wase Federal Constituency, says the infiltration poses serious risks to national stability and should prompt an urgent review of recruitment procedures. “There were recruitment exercises where names of known suspects appeared on the shortlist,” he told lawmakers, adding that his claims can be verified by former Defence Committee Chairman, Muktar Betara.
He warns against indiscriminate endorsement of candidates, urging leaders to recommend only credible individuals. Wase, who has lost close relatives to terrorist violence, says the North Central region shoulders nearly 52% of the country’s security burden.
Lawmakers from other regions echoed the concerns. Speaking for the North-West, Sada Soli describes insecurity in the region as “complex and layered,” driven by governance gaps, environmental stress and economic hardship. He says a mix of security operations, environmental reform and economic stabilisation is required.
For the North-East, Betara says the region remains the “ground zero” of insurgency and requires coordinated action to prevent further deterioration.
South-South lawmaker Solomon Bob accuses successive governments of lacking political will. “Leadership failure has fuelled the crisis. Negotiating with violent groups instead of enforcing the law has made things worse,” he says.
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Oluwafunbi Bello 
Oluwatobi Adu 
Koko Maxwella 
Hussaini Ibrahim