…says, there were Army recruitment exercises where names of known Boko Haram members appeared on the shortlist.
Abuja, Nigeria — The iNews Times | Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase, on Wednesday stunned lawmakers after revealing that names of suspected Boko Haram members and other criminal elements had previously appeared on recruitment lists for the Nigerian Army and police. The disclosure was made during a special plenary session on Nigeria’s deepening security crisis, drawing widespread alarm across the chamber.
Wase, an All Progressives Congress lawmaker representing Wase Federal Constituency in Plateau State, warned that such infiltration poses a severe and immediate threat to national security. He insisted that his claim could be certified by the former Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, now heading the Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, Muktar Betara. According to him, “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.”
The lawmaker cautioned against reckless endorsements of candidates seeking entry into the nation’s security forces, stressing that only credible, trustworthy individuals should be recommended. Wase, who revealed that he lost a brother, cousin and nephew to Boko Haram attacks, said the North Central region currently bears about 52 percent of Nigeria’s overall insecurity burden. He narrated how one of his younger brothers recently begged to be relocated from their violence-stricken community.
Wase further called for a review of the presidential directive withdrawing police officers from VIP protection duties. While acknowledging the intention behind the policy, he argued that its implementation must clearly define categories to avoid exposing key government officials to danger.
Representing the North-West Caucus, lawmaker Sada Soli described the region’s insecurity as “complex and layered,” driven by criminality, environmental pressures, weakened governance structures and worsening economic conditions. Soli insisted that purely military action would not resolve the crisis, calling for reforms in governance, land management, livestock systems and stronger community-driven security solutions.
For the North-East Caucus, Muktar Betara described the region as the “ground zero of terrorism, insurgency and recurring communal violence,” recalling brutal tragedies from the 2015 Baga massacre to repeated bomb attacks that have claimed countless lives. He maintained that only coordinated action, strategic planning and renewed commitment can halt the spread of violence.
The South-South perspective came from Senator Solomon Bob (PDP, Rivers), who accused successive administrations since 1999 of lacking the political will to confront insecurity head-on. He condemned the habit of negotiating with terrorists, saying it emboldens killers and undermines national authority. According to him, describing terrorism as banditry only downplays the severity of the national crisis.
Contributing to the debate, Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Kafilat Ogbara, condemned the devastating impact of insecurity on women and children, citing recent mass abductions in Papiri and Kamba. She described the situation as a fundamental breach of the state’s responsibility to safeguard lives and property.
