Boko Haram members found in Nigerian Army and police recruitment lists – Plateau lawmaker
Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, has raised serious concerns about Nigeria’s security recruitment processes, alleging that Boko Haram members and other criminals were discovered on the recruitment lists of both the Nigerian Army and the police.
Wase made the disclosure on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, during a special plenary session of the House convened to assess the nation’s worsening security situation, according to Premium Times.
Representing Wase Federal Constituency of Plateau State, he warned that such infiltration is severely undermining Nigeria’s efforts to combat insurgency and banditry. He further stated that former Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Muktar Betara, could corroborate the claim.
He said the situation highlights deep, systemic flaws in the country’s recruitment procedures, which have enabled individuals with criminal histories to enter critical security institutions.
Wase, who revealed that he lost both a brother and a cousin to terrorist attacks, noted that such compromised recruitment explains why criminal groups continue to operate with ease in several regions. He added that insecurity had become so dire that his surviving younger brother pleaded with him to help facilitate a transfer out of their community.
“My brother, former chairman of defence, and my very good friend, Betara, will bear me witness that during recruitment exercises, Boko Haram members were found in the list. Other criminals and armed robbers were found in the list of the Nigerian Army and the police,” he said.
He cited an incident involving a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation who reportedly spotted a known armed robber in a Nigerian security uniform at an airport and ordered his arrest.
“There has to be a thorough way of ensuring that when we are recruiting, those of us who are politicians should recommend people of good character and integrity. That’s the only way we can solve this problem. You find a criminal in the system, and before you know it, whatever you do, you cannot have the problem resolved.
“So we must change the system and way of our recruitment. Yes, as politicians, it’s good to recommend. This is what we are here for. But when you are recommending, please recommend people of integrity, people that will meet standards and ensure that they give the best access to our country.”
The former deputy speaker warned that Nigeria’s security crisis persists partly because some individuals benefit from the chaos, enabling criminals to move in convoys and operate with impunity.
Wase further lamented the politicisation of indigeneship and citizenship, describing it as one of the key issues dividing the country and calling for constitutional reforms to address the problem.
He noted that kidnapping has become routine, with about N5 billion reportedly paid as ransom in one year, while more than 30,000 people have been killed in Boko Haram-related attacks over time.
Wase urged lawmakers to take a holistic approach to the crisis, stressing that the scale of insecurity facing the country is more dangerous than many realise and requires urgent, coordinated action.
Wase further urged lawmakers to avoid religious narratives that, in his view, distort the true nature of the crisis.
He said more than half of all insecurity incidents recorded in West Africa occur in Nigeria, with the North Central bearing the highest burden.
“North Central is the main area where 52 per cent of the insecurity and insurgency in this country is taking place,” he said. “Our people are dying. Our people have been displaced, those in the military, those in the security forces, and those at home.”
He cautioned strongly against attempts to frame the conflict along religious lines, insisting that the violence is driven purely by criminality.
“I want to disagree with those who are bringing the religious inkling into it. In these enclaves, you find Muslims, Christians, pagans. The ones that have been caught include all groups. So how do you define it as genocide against any faith?” he said.
Wase said narratives that cast the violence as a religious war weaken national unity and obstruct solutions.
“It just has to do with criminality, and we must brand it as criminality. Otherwise, that division of religion will continue to attack us, and before we know it, we cannot tackle the problem effectively,” he warned.
