The chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Internal Security, Hon. Garba Ibrahim Muhammad, disclosed on Tuesday that terrorists had threatened to bomb the National Assembly complex.
He also said lawmakers had received threats from protesters who are plan on locking up the legislative complex.
He said the National Assembly was going through a lot of security challenges; having experienced car and motorcycle thefts; vandalism, fake identity cards, unwanted visitors accessing the complex without documentation and petty trading.
Muhammad said this at the public hearing on the bill seeking to establish the Legislative Security Directorate – to provide for the qualification and condition of service of the Sergeant-at-Arms and other Personnel of the Directorate on Tuesday.
He said legislators were exposed to threats from constituents and others who gained easy access into their offices without any formal appointment.
Muhammad said the ongoing security challenges, if proper measures are not taken, will truncate the legislative activities in the National Assembly leading to no representation, oversight, annual budget, among others.
He said that is why the bill is very important because it seeks to address all the challenges as aforesaid and adopt world best practices of parliamentary security procedures and architecture.
“The National Assembly is going through a lot of Security challenges; we have experienced car thefts, motor cycle thefts, vandalism, fake Identity Cards, unwanted visitors accessing the National Assembly without documentation, petty trading which make the National Assembly look like a small market.
“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 gained easy access into their offices without any formal appointment.
“It is obvious that with the ongoing security challenges, if proper measures are not taken, will truncate the legislative activities in the National Assembly and if activities are thwarted, there will be no representation, no oversight, no annual budget, there will be no Plenary at all, and that will destabilise legislative procedure, democracy and the stability of the system, and our Nation at large.
“Effective security management needs a total approach that requires various elements to be integrated together in order to secure our environment for legislative procedure to function effectively and maximally.
That is why this Bill is very important, because it seeks to address all the challenges as aforesaid and adopt world best practices of Parliamentary security procedures and architecture.
“In conclusion, the need for effective security measures in the National Assembly cannot be overemphasised, this is because Parliament needs to be accessible to the public in order to uphold democratic values, making it difficult to implement stringent security measures without affecting others interest.
“However, this bill is committed to ensuring the best security architecture in the National Assembly, to protect Legislators, Staff, Visitors and Property. I also want to admonish our States House of Assemblies to imbibe the same,” the lawmaker added.
