A former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase, has raised the alarm over the infiltration of Boko Haram insurgents and armed criminals into the country’s security forces during recruitment exercises.
Speaking on behalf of the North Central caucus during a debate on the nation’s deteriorating security situation, Wase said, “There were moments in time when, in the process of recruitment, Boko Haram members were found in the list. Other criminals, armed robbers, and gangs were found in the list of the Nigerian army and police.”
He stressed that such breaches in recruitment processes compromise national security and called for stricter vetting.
“There has to be a thorough way of ensuring that when we are recruiting, those of us who are politicians are recommending people of good character and integrity. That’s the only way we can solve this problem,” Wase said.
To underscore the gravity of the situation, he cited a past incident: “The former SGF was in an airport and saw somebody that he knew as an armed robber wearing a Nigerian uniform. He ordered his arrest immediately. This is a part of the problem that we are being faced with.”
Wase warned that allowing criminals into the armed forces makes addressing security challenges extremely difficult. “You find a criminal in the system, and before you know it, whatever you do, you cannot have the problem resolved. So we must change the system and the way of our recruitment,” he said.
He also called for a review of the recent presidential order withdrawing police protection from VIPs, suggesting a categorisation system to determine who qualifies for police escorts.
