By Yahaya Umar, Abuja
Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Internal Security, Honourable Garba Muhammad, has said that the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, is under bomb threat from terrorists.
Garba, disclosed this yesterday at a public hearing on a bill seeking to establish the Legislative Security Directorate.
He said the complex has been facing security challenges, including cases of car and motorcycle theft, vandalism, fake identity cards, and infiltration by unregistered visitors to the complex.
“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 to their offices without any formal appointment.
“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 destabilise legislative procedure, democracy, and the stability of the system, and our nation at large”, he said.
He, however, said that the bill reflects our shared commitment to strengthening security due to daily influx of people into the parliament.
Pointing out that the bill is seeking to replicate a globally-accepted practice of addressing internal insecurity.
In this vein, Honourable Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen reiterated commitment of the House to strengthening the National Assembly’s internal security architecture to enhance seamless legislative activities.
Tajudeen, said this while declaring the public hearing open.
Represented by the Chief Whip, Honourable Bello Kumo, the speaker emphasised the need for strengthening the internal security architecture of the national assembly.
He described the bill as a roadmap to improving Nigeria’s democracy through a guaranteed protection of lawmakers and other personnel in the national assembly.
He, therefore, reaffirmed the importance of a secured national assembly, saying that it would create an enabling environment for hitch-free legislative activities.
Also speaking, a Deputy Director with Policy and Legislative Advocacy Centre, PLAC, Ms Omolara Akinyeye, expressed the centre’s support for the bill.
She said that the bill, if passed, would address the age-long security challenges at the national assembly.
The bill titled: A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment and the functions for legislative security directorate in the National Assembly.
It aims to provide the qualifications and conditions of service of the Sergeant-at-Arms and other personnel in the directorate and for related matters.
