The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Internal Security, Hon. Garba Muhammad, disclosed that the National Assembly complex in Abuja has received credible threats from terrorist groups planning to bomb the legislative complex. He made this revelation during a public hearing on a bill to establish the Legislative Security Directorate, aimed at securing the National Assembly.
Muhammad highlighted that the National Assembly faces numerous security challenges such as car and motorcycle thefts, vandalism, fake identity cards, unauthorized access by unregistered visitors, and petty trading within the premises all contributing to a porous security environment.
The lawmaker warned that if these security challenges are not promptly and effectively addressed, it could lead to the truncation of legislative activities, resulting in a breakdown of democratic processes including representation, oversight, budgeting, and plenary sessions, thereby destabilizing the government and the nation.
To counter these threats, the proposed Legislative Security Directorate would provide a specialized security agency within the National Assembly responsible for recruiting, training, and managing security personnel, adopting best international practices in parliamentary security.
Moreover, Muhammad urged state houses of assembly across Nigeria to adopt similar security frameworks to safeguard their legislative processes, underscoring that threats to legislative institutions inherently threaten the stability of Nigeria’s democracy.
The revelation underscores the growing security risks faced by Nigeria’s political institutions and the urgent need for targeted security reforms.