By Stephen — Dalena Reporters
November 26, 2025
ABUJA — In a shocking disclosure at a special plenary session convened to tackle Nigeria’s deepening security crisis, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Ahmed Idris Wase (representing Wase Federal Constituency, Plateau State) revealed that members of Boko Haram, armed robbers and other criminal elements were once found on recruitment lists for the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Police Force.
Wase told lawmakers that this apparent infiltration of security agencies by terrorists and criminals constitutes a grave threat to national stability, undermining efforts to counter insurgency, banditry and widespread insecurity across the country.
According to him, the discovery was not anecdotal or speculative: during past recruitment exercises, names of individuals already known to belong to Boko Haram — as well as names linked to armed robbery — appeared among those cleared for enlistment. He said the former Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Muktar Betara, can corroborate the development.
Wase stressed that the infiltration helps explain why criminal and insurgent groups continue to operate with impunity in many regions. He recounted his personal loss — a brother, cousin and nephew killed in past terrorist attacks — to underline the human cost of these lapses.
He appealed to political leaders to exercise greater caution in recommending recruits, emphasising that only individuals of unquestionable integrity should be endorsed for service. According to Wase, restoring public trust in security agencies and stemming the tide of insecurity depends on overhauling recruitment mechanisms and closing loopholes that allow criminals to enter the forces.
Security analysts say Wase’s revelations spotlight a critical vulnerability: if terrorists and criminals are embedded within security institutions, operations to combat insurgency become compromised from within. The risk, they warn, extends beyond isolated acts of sabotage — potentially affecting nationwide efforts to restore peace and stability.
As the government grapples with mounting violence, kidnappings and banditry, many share the view that tackling insecurity will require more than military deployment — it will require institutional reform, improved recruitment integrity, and structural reforms that address the root causes of infiltration. Dalena Reporters will continue to monitor reactions from the Ministry of Defence, the Police Service Commission, the National Assembly and security agencies as stakeholders begin to respond to this alarming revelation.