Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase, has revealed that individuals suspected to be Boko Haram members and other criminals were once shortlisted for recruitment into the Nigerian Army and Police.
Wase made the disclosure on Wednesday during a special plenary session convened to address the escalating security crisis across the country.
The lawmaker, who represents Wase Federal Constituency in Plateau State, said the alarming discovery underscores the deep infiltration of Nigeria’s security architecture by criminally inclined persons.
He added that the claim could be corroborated by former House Defence Committee Chairman and current FCT Committee Chairman, Muktar Betara.
“There were recruitment exercises where names of known Boko Haram members appeared on the shortlist. Armed robbers and other criminals were also discovered among those cleared for the Army and Police,” Wase stated.
He warned against indiscriminate endorsements for military and police recruitment, stressing that only credible and trustworthy candidates should be recommended.
Recounting personal losses, Wase said he had lost a brother, cousin, and nephew to terrorist attacks, noting that the North Central region bears “about 52 per cent of Nigeria’s insecurity burden.”
He also narrated how one of his younger brothers pleaded to be relocated from their violence-ravaged community.
Wase further called for a review of the presidential directive withdrawing police personnel from VIP protection duties.
While he acknowledged the policy’s intent, he argued that its categories must be clearly defined to avoid exposing important officials to danger.
Speaking for the North West Caucus, Sada Soli described insecurity in the region as “complex and layered,” driven by a blend of criminality, environmental pressure, governance failure, and deepening poverty.
He urged a comprehensive solution combining kinetic action with governance reforms and economic development.
For the North East Caucus, Betara described the region as “ground zero of terrorism and insurgency,” recalling tragedies ranging from the 2015 Baga massacre to numerous bomb attacks that have claimed civilian and military lives.
He called for coordinated strategy and renewed commitment to halt the spread of violence.
South South Caucus representative, Solomon Bob, said successive administrations lacked the political will to confront insecurity.
He criticised the tendency to placate terrorists rather than enforce the law, arguing that downplaying terrorism as mere banditry undermines the gravity of the crisis.
Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Kafilat Ogbara, lamented the disproportionate impact of insecurity on women and children, citing the recent abductions in Papiri and Kamba.
She described the incidents as “a breach of the state’s core obligation to protect lives and property.”
