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By Tracy Moses
The House of Representatives has raised an alarm over rising security threats targeting the National Assembly complex, including reported terrorist plots to bomb the legislative premises.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Internal Security, Hon. Garba Ibrahim Muhammad, disclosed this on Tuesday at a public hearing on a bill seeking to establish a Legislative Security Directorate for the National Assembly. The event was held at Conference Hall 028 of the Assembly’s new building in Abuja.
The proposed legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Establishment and the Functions of the Legislative Security Directorate in the National Assembly; to Provide for the Qualification and Condition of Service of the Sergeant-at-Arms and Other Personnel of the Directorate and for Related Matters, 2024 (HB 1632),” seeks to create a comprehensive internal security framework dedicated to protecting the federal legislature.
Hon. Muhammad, while declaring the hearing open, underscored the urgent need to strengthen security within the National Assembly, noting that the complex receives a daily influx of lawmakers, staff, executive and judicial officers, lobbyists, civil society representatives, and visitors, making it a potential soft target if not properly secured.
“The National Assembly is going through a lot of security challenges,” he said. “We have experienced cases of car and motorcycle thefts, vandalism, fake identity cards, unauthorized access by unregistered visitors, and petty trading that makes the complex look like a small market.
We have also received threats from terrorists to bomb the National Assembly complex and from protesters to lock up the legislature.”
The lawmaker warned that if these threats are not addressed, they could have serious implications for Nigeria’s democracy.
“Without a secure National Assembly, there will be no representation, no oversight, no budget process, and no plenary. Such a situation would destabilize our democracy and the entire governance system,” he cautioned.
Muhammad explained that the proposed Legislative Security Directorate would function as a specialized internal agency responsible for coordinating and implementing all security measures within the National Assembly, in line with global best practices in parliamentary security management.
“Effective security management requires an integrated approach that harmonizes various elements to create a safe and enabling environment for legislative procedures to function effectively,” he noted.
He added that the directorate would handle the recruitment, training, and operations of the Sergeant-at-Arms and other personnel charged with securing lawmakers, staff, and property within the complex.
While emphasizing that the legislature must remain accessible to the public in line with democratic values, the lawmaker stressed that such openness must not compromise safety.
“This bill is committed to ensuring the best security architecture for the National Assembly to protect legislators, staff, visitors, and property,” he stated, urging State Assemblies to adopt similar security frameworks.
In his submission, the Sergeant-at-Arms of the National Assembly, Mr. Emmanuel Onuigbo, described the bill as “long overdue,” noting that it would professionalize the Assembly’s security operations and reduce dependence on external agencies.
“The establishment of this directorate will strengthen our capacity to respond swiftly to threats and enhance coordination between the Sergeant-at-Arms, the Nigeria Police, and other security services assigned to the National Assembly,” he said.
Onuigbo observed that the absence of a dedicated legal framework had limited the authority and effectiveness of the Sergeant-at-Arms, often creating confusion in enforcing access control and crowd management.
Also speaking, security expert and retired Commissioner of Police, Dr. Lawrence Alobi, commended the initiative as a “proactive and preventive step” toward safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
“You cannot talk about good governance without first ensuring a secure legislature,” Alobi said. “This bill recognizes that the National Assembly is not just another public building, it is the symbol of Nigeria’s democracy. Protecting it is synonymous with protecting the state itself.”
He further recommended that personnel recruited into the directorate undergo specialized training in counterterrorism, intelligence gathering, and crowd control to effectively respond to emerging threats.
Representing civil society organizations, Ms. Aisha Abdullahi, Programme Director of the Centre for Legislative Accountability, said the bill reflects a growing recognition that democratic spaces must be both open and secure.
“Citizens have a right to access their parliament, but that access must be regulated in a way that ensures safety for everyone,” she said, urging lawmakers to include provisions for periodic security audits, technology-driven surveillance systems, and clear accountability mechanisms to prevent abuse.
In his closing remarks, Hon. Muhammad thanked participants for their contributions and expressed optimism that their inputs would enrich the final version of the bill.
“Your insights today have been invaluable. Together, we are laying the foundation for a more secure and efficient legislature,” he said. “We owe it to the Nigerian people to ensure that the National Assembly remains a safe space for democratic engagement.”