October 29, 2025
The National Assembly has said that it received threats from terrorists to bomb the complex, stressing the urgent need to strengthen security within the nation’s highest legislative institution.
House of Representatives Chairman, Committee on Internal Security, Garba Muhammad, revealed this on Tuesday .
Speaking at a public hearing on a bill to establish the Legislative Security Directorate, geared towards improved security management and safeguarding lawmakers, staff and visitors to the National Assembly, Muhammad stated that the seat of Nigeria’s democracy had increasingly faced serious security challenges, including fake identity cards, infiltration by unregistered visitors. car and motorcycle theft as well as vandalism.
According to him: “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 gain easy access into their offices without any formal appointment.”
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He cautioned that if such threats and lapses were not nipped in the bud, legislative operations could be disrupted, which could have grave implications for governance and democracy.
“It is obvious that with the ongoing security challenges, 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, no plenary at all — and that will destabilize legislative procedure, democracy, and the stability of the system, and our nation at large.”
Muhammad noted that effective security management required a holistic and coordinated approach, integrating multiple elements to secure the environment.
Muhammad, explained that to ensure that legislative duties were carried out effectively, a holistic and coordinated approach must be put into securing the environment.
“That is why this bill is very important. It seeks to address all the challenges as aforesaid and adopt world best practices of parliamentary security procedures and architecture.”
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He noted that security must not be compromised even when the National Assembly remains accessible to the public to uphold democratic values.
“The need for effective security measures in the National Assembly cannot be overemphasized because Parliament has to remain accessible to the public.
‘’However, this bill is committed to ensuring the best security architecture in the National Assembly to protect legislators, staff, visitors and property,” he said.
The lawmaker called on state Houses of Assembly across the federation to emulate the same initiative to ensure effective security of legislative environment.
He said the bill would mark a major step toward securing Nigeria’s democratic institutions and called for collective commitment to it passage
