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 the recruitment lists of the Nigerian Army and Police.
He made the disclosure during a special plenary session focused on the state of security in the country.
Wase, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker representing Wase Federal Constituency in Plateau State, warned that the infiltration of security institutions by criminally-minded individuals constitutes a major threat to national security.
He added that his claim could be verified by the former Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, now Chairman of the Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, Muktar Betara.
He said, “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 against reckless endorsements of candidates for military and police recruitment, stressing that only credible and trustworthy persons should be recommended.
The lawmaker, who disclosed that he has lost a brother, cousin, and nephew to terrorist attacks, said the North Central region bears about 52 per cent of the country’s overall insecurity burden.
He recounted a distressing plea from one of his younger brothers, who begged to be relocated from their violence-stricken community.
Wase also called for 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 unnecessary danger.
Speaking for the North-West Caucus, Sada Soli described the region’s insecurity as “complex and layered,” fuelled by criminality, environmental pressures, weak governance, and worsening economic conditions.
He noted that a purely kinetic response would not end the crisis, calling instead for a blend of security operations and 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.
On his part, Muktar Betara, speaking for the North-East Caucus, said the region remains the “ground zero of terrorism, insurgency and recurring communal violence.”
He recalled tragedies from the 2015 Baga massacre to bomb blasts that have claimed the 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,” Betara said.
A South-South senator, 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 the severity of the crisis.
In her contribution, Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Kafilat Ogbara, decried the heavy toll insecurity has taken on women and children, citing 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 lamented.