Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, on Wednesday raised alarm over alleged infiltration of the Nigerian Army recruitment process by Boko Haram members, warning that such lapses continue to weaken the nation’s security framework.
Wase made the claim during a special plenary session of the House convened to review the worsening national security situation. He stated that the former Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Muktar Betara, could confirm that names of insurgents were at one time discovered on the Army recruitment list. According to him, the incident exposed deep flaws in the country’s recruitment procedures into sensitive security institutions.
The former lawmaker, who revealed that he lost both a brother and a cousin to terrorist attacks, said the continued infiltration of the security system explains why criminal groups still operate freely across several parts of the country. He added that insecurity has forced his surviving younger brother to plead for a transfer out of their community for safety reasons.
Wase stressed that politicians must take responsibility when recommending candidates for security appointments by ensuring only persons of integrity are put forward. He warned that the presence of criminals within the system undermines all efforts to restore peace.
He further alleged that some individuals benefit from the current wave of insecurity, enabling criminals to move in convoys and operate without restraint. Wase also condemned the politicisation of indigeneship and citizenship and called for constitutional reforms.
He noted that kidnapping has become routine, with about N5 billion reportedly paid as ransom in one year and over 30,000 deaths recorded from Boko Haram related violence. He urged urgent coordinated national action.
