Just-ln: Terrorists Threaten to Bomb National Assembly, as Reps Move to Create Legislative Security Directorate to Protect Themselves

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Internal Security, Hon. Garba Ibrahim Muhammad, has revealed that terrorists have threatened to bomb the National Assembly Complex, highlighting the pressing need to bolster security at Nigeria’s top legislative facility.

Hon. Garba made the disclosure on Tuesday during a public hearing on a bill proposing the creation of the Legislative Security Directorate, a framework aimed at improving security measures for lawmakers, staff, and visitors within the National Assembly.

He noted that the country’s democratic hub has been increasingly vulnerable to a range of security issues, including vehicle and motorcycle theft, vandalism, the use of fake identity cards, and entry by unregistered visitors.

“We have received threats from terrorists to bomb the National Assembly Complex and threats from protesters to lock up the National Assembly,” Garba said.

The lawmaker pointed out that legislators are at risk from both constituents and others who gain unsupervised access to their offices, stressing that these vulnerabilities pose a real danger.

He cautioned that without effective intervention, these security lapses could interrupt legislative processes, with serious consequences for governance and democracy.

“It is obvious that with the ongoing security challenges, if proper measures are not taken, it will truncate 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 nation at large,” he warned.

Hon. Garba further stressed that an integrated security strategy is essential to protect the legislative environment.

“That is why this Bill is very important. It seeks to address all these challenges and adopt world best practices in parliamentary security procedures and architecture,” he explained.

While emphasising that the National Assembly must remain accessible to the public in order to uphold democratic values, he insisted that this openness should not compromise safety.

“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,” Garba said.

He also encouraged state Houses of Assembly across Nigeria to adopt similar security frameworks to safeguard legislative activities nationwide.

The public hearing focused on the bill titled “A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Establishment and Functions of the Legislative Security Directorate in the National Assembly (HB 1632)” and took place at the House of Representatives Conference Hall 028 in Abuja.

Hon. Garba concluded by calling on all stakeholders to support the passage of the legislation, emphasising its importance in protecting Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

“With these few points of mine, I wish us a peaceful and fruitful hearing that will ultimately bring a turnaround in the National Assembly’s security architecture,” the statement added.