The House of Representatives has raised alarm over rising security threats to the National Assembly, including intelligence reports of a terrorist plan to bomb the legislative complex.
Chairman of the House Committee on Internal Security, Hon. Garba Ibrahim Muhammad, disclosed this on Tuesday during a public hearing on a bill seeking to establish the Legislative Security Directorate at the National Assembly in Abuja.
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), aims to create a specialised internal security body to safeguard lawmakers, staff, visitors and assets.
Muhammad said intelligence reports indicate that the National Assembly has become a growing target for criminal and terrorist attacks. He noted the daily influx of visitors, lobbyists and demonstrators has left the complex vulnerable.
“The National Assembly is facing numerous security challenges — from car and motorcycle thefts to fake ID cards and unauthorised access,” he said. “We have received threats from terrorists to bomb the complex and from protesters to shut it down.”
The lawmaker warned that without decisive security measures, legislative activities could be paralysed, affecting representation, oversight, and national stability.
He urged State Assemblies to adopt similar security frameworks, adding that the proposed directorate would professionalise internal security operations and adopt international best practices for parliamentary protection.
