Members of the House of Representatives have expressed serious concern over a terrorist threat to bomb the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
The revelation was made by the Chairman of the House Committee on Internal Security, Hon. Garba Ibrahim Muhammad, during a public hearing on Tuesday on a bill seeking to establish the Legislative Security Directorate.
According to Muhammad, recent intelligence reports and security findings indicate that the National Assembly has increasingly become a target for criminal and terrorist activities.
He explained that the high volume of daily visitors—including lobbyists, protesters, and unauthorized individuals—has exposed the complex to potential security breaches.
The proposed legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Establishment and the Functions of Legislative Security Directorate in the National Assembly; to Provide for the Qualification and Condition of Service of the Sergeant-at-Arms and Other Personnel of the Directorate and for Related Matters, 2024 (HB 1632),” seeks to create a specialized security body to manage and coordinate the internal protection of the National Assembly.
Speaking further, Muhammad said:
“The National Assembly is going through a lot of security challenges; we have experienced car thefts, motorcycle thefts, vandalism, fake Identity Cards, unwanted visitors accessing the National Assembly without documentation, and petty trading, which makes the National Assembly look like a small market.
“We have received threats from terrorists to bomb the National Assembly Complex and threats from protesters to lock up the National Assembly. Legislators are exposed to threats from constituents and others who have gained easy access to their offices without any formal appointment.”
He warned that the failure to address these security challenges could disrupt legislative activities and threaten Nigeria’s democratic process.
“If proper measures are not taken, it will truncate the legislative activities in the National Assembly. If activities are thwarted, there will be no representation, no oversight, no annual budget, and no plenary at all. That will destabilize legislative procedure, democracy, and the stability of our nation,” he added.
Muhammad stressed that the proposed bill aims to introduce a comprehensive security framework modeled after international parliamentary security standards.
He also urged State Houses of Assembly to replicate similar security systems to protect their legislative environments and ensure smooth operations across the country.
