The National Assembly has reportedly received direct terrorist threats to bomb its complex, according to Garba Muhammad, Chairman of the House Committee on Internal Security.

He made the revelation on Tuesday, October 28, during a public hearing on a bill proposing the creation of a Legislative Security Directorate — an agency designed to fortify Nigeria’s highest lawmaking institution against growing security risks.

Muhammad described the situation as grave, saying the National Assembly faces not only petty crimes like car and motorcycle theft, but also organized threats that could destabilize the nation’s democratic structure.

“We have received threats from terrorists to bomb the National Assembly complex,” he warned. “We have also received threats from protesters to lock up the National Assembly.”

A Growing Climate of Infiltration and Fear

The lawmaker further explained that infiltration poses one of the greatest internal risks. He said many people gain “easy access into lawmakers’ offices without any formal appointment,” often using fake identity cards or posing as staff and visitors.

Security officers have reportedly struggled to manage the volume of unregistered guests entering the complex daily, a weakness Muhammad said could expose lawmakers to physical danger or espionage attempts.

He cautioned that ignoring these lapses could have “severe implications for democracy and governance.”

Legislative Stability Under Threat

Muhammad warned that if legislative activities were ever disrupted by an attack, “there will be no representation, no oversight, no annual budget, no plenary at all — and that will destabilize legislative procedure, democracy, and the stability of the system, and our nation at large.”

The proposed Legislative Security Directorate would align Nigeria’s parliamentary security with global best practices — ensuring stricter access control, intelligence coordination, and rapid response protocols.

Muhammad stressed that while the National Assembly must remain open to the public to preserve democratic transparency, its security systems must be modernized to protect lives and maintain institutional stability.

He urged state Houses of Assembly to follow suit, saying that “the protection of democracy must begin at the legislative level.”