Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, has raised fresh concerns about Nigeria’s security infrastructure, alleging that individuals linked to Boko Haram were once discovered on recruitment lists for both the Nigerian Army and the police. He made the disclosure during a special plenary session devoted to the nation’s worsening security situation.
According to Wase, the discovery was made during past recruitment exercises overseen by the House Committee on Defence, which was then chaired by Muktar Betara, whom he said could confirm the matter. He described the incident as evidence of significant lapses within the country’s vetting and background-check processes.
Wase shared that he had personally lost close family members to violent attacks. He said the infiltration of security agencies by individuals with criminal ties helps explain the confidence with which armed groups continue to operate. He added that the situation has deteriorated to the point that his younger brother has pleaded to be relocated for safety.
He argued that political actors also contribute to the problem by sponsoring unsuitable candidates for recruitment into security institutions, warning that allowing individuals without proper screening to join the armed forces undermines national efforts to address insecurity.
Wase expressed concern that Nigeria’s security crisis persists partly because certain individuals benefit from the instability, enabling criminal groups to move and operate without effective resistance. He also criticized the ongoing disputes around indigeneship and citizenship, which he believes continue to fuel division and must be addressed through constitutional reform.
While referencing the economic and human toll of insurgency, Wase noted that kidnapping has escalated into a nationwide threat, with billions of naira reportedly paid as ransom within a year. He also cited long-standing estimates of lives lost to extremist violence, arguing that the scale of insecurity is far more alarming than many citizens realize.
He urged lawmakers to work toward a coordinated national response, insisting that the complexity of Nigeria’s security challenges requires immediate institutional reforms, stronger oversight mechanisms, and unified political will.
