Garba Muhammad, House of Representatives Internal Security Committee chairman, has raised the alarm over a terrorist plot to bomb the National Assembly.
Mr Muhammad, at the public hearing on a bill seeking to establish the Legislative Security Directorate on Tuesday, said terrorists were threatening to attack the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
“We have received threats from terrorists to bomb the National Assembly complex and threats from protesters to lock up the National Assembly,” Mr Muhammad said.
He added, “Legislators are exposed to threats from constituents and others who gain easy access to their offices without any formal appointment.”
The lawmaker warned that a terrorist attack on the National Assembly will truncate legislative activities, which are crucial to democratic rule, adding that the proposed “bill is committed to ensuring the best security architecture to protect legislators, staff, visitors, and property”.
“If proper measures are not taken, it will truncate legislative activities. If activities are thwarted, there will be no representation, no oversight, no annual budget, no plenary at all, and that will destabilise democracy and the stability of our nation,” Mr Muhammad said.
He added, “The need for effective security measures in the National Assembly cannot be overemphasised because parliament has to remain accessible to the public.”
