The House of Representatives has raised fresh concerns over rising security threats targeting the National Assembly. Lawmakers revealed that intelligence reports warned of terrorist plans to bomb the complex and disrupt legislative activities.
Chairman of the House Committee on Internal Security, Hon. Garba Ibrahim Muhammad, disclosed this shocking detail during a public hearing on the proposed Legislative Security Directorate Bill (HB 1632) held at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
Muhammad said recent security reports showed that the legislative complex had become a target for both criminal and terrorist activities. He noted that the heavy daily influx of visitors, lobbyists, and demonstrators made the building a “vulnerable and high-risk” location.
“The National Assembly is going through serious security challenges,” he said. “We have experienced car thefts, vandalism, fake identity cards, and unauthorized visitors gaining access without proper documentation. Petty trading is also rampant, making the complex look like a small market.”
He warned that the threats were no longer theoretical. According to him, lawmakers recently received direct terrorist threats to bomb the National Assembly complex, alongside protests threatening to lock down the facility.
“Legislators are increasingly exposed to danger from constituents and individuals who enter their offices without prior appointments,” Muhammad added.
He cautioned that if immediate measures were not implemented, legislative operations could be completely disrupted. “If this continues, there will be no representation, no oversight, no budget, and no plenary. That will destabilize our democracy and national stability,” he warned.
Muhammad said the proposed Legislative Security Directorate Bill would help establish a specialized internal security agency for the National Assembly. The agency will be responsible for recruiting, training, and managing the Sergeant-at-Arms and other security personnel to protect lawmakers, staff, and visitors.
He also urged state assemblies to adopt similar security structures to safeguard their legislative environments.
“The bill aims to bring world-class security standards into our parliamentary system,” he said, stressing that effective security management requires a coordinated and integrated approach.
The proposed bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Establishment and the Functions of the Legislative Security Directorate in the National Assembly”, seeks to professionalize internal protection measures and ensure better response to emerging threats.