House Moves to Stop Leakage of Classified Information from Security Agencies

• Urges NSA, IG to caution political parties against inciting statement ahead of Bayelsa poll

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The House of Representatives has described the rate at which classified information spread on social media as disturbing.

It also lamented that unauthorised classified information and documents in the public domain were now almost at the discretion of government officials.

To this end, the House described the unauthorised classified information in public domain as a national security issue that needs an urgent intervention.

The resolution of the House followed the adoption of a motion moved at plenary in Thursday by Hon. Adedeji  Olajide.

Presenting the motion, the lawmaker observed that the primary aim of the government is to protect lives and property of its citizens, as the rate at which classified and confidential documents find their way to the public domain/social media prevents the curbing of insecurity across the nation.

Olajide noted that security agents are being attacked by bandits while going for rapid response due to leak of information as national security is also compromised.

He added: “Disturbed that the flow of unauthorised classified information and documents to the public domain is now almost at the discretions of government official, the rate at which classified information spread on the social media is disturbing.”

The lawmaker said that if Chief of Army Staff decried the leakage of classified documents appearing on social media, then there is a serious issue at hand, adding that it is their duty as legislators to call for forensic investigation of all security agencies.

He also expressed worry that data leakages in the public sector discredits the government, weakens the action plan and undermines the national security of the country.

The House, therefore, resolved to “create a Joint Committee on National Security Intelligence, Information Technology and Defence to; carry out a forensic data storage, data protection and flow of Information  of all our security agencies.

“In addition, inspect the level of data security operated by Nigerian Immigration Services, Nigerian Customs Services, Nigeria Identity Management Commission and others on data collection”.

Meanwhile, the House has called on the Inspector General of Police (IG) and the National Security Adviser (NSA) to caution political parties and extract undertakings from all candidates that would guarantee peace in Twon Brass and Bayelsa State ahead of the November 11 governorship elections.
It also urged President Bola Tinubu to call all political party candidates to order.

The green chamber further urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to invest integrity in the conduct of the November 11 governorship elections in Bayesla, Imo and Kogi States.

The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion on the urgent need to prevent breakdown of law and order in Bayelsa State, moved at the plenary on Thursday by Hon. Marie Ebikake.

Moving the motion, the lawmaker observed that inciting statements made by some party candidates during their campaigns on Saturday, October 28, 2023 at Twon Brass in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State be was inappropriate.

Ebikake noted the specific instructions (captured on video) for supporters to kill or drown at sea anyone who ‘misbehaves’ on November 11, 2023.

The lawmaker expressed concern that their utterances were not political campaign statements, but a call to violence and disorderly conduct capable of disrupting law and order in Twon Brass and in Bayelsa State as a whole. 

“Gravely worried that if precautionary steps are not taken to call political candidates to order, their inciting statements, as in previous instances, will be interpreted as executive orders, by mindless political supporters to cause pandemonium and mayhem calculated to disrupt the smooth conduct of the elections, endanger lives and property with devastating effects on the socio-political and economic gains already made in the local government area and in the state, in terms of peace, stability and economic development,” Ebikake warned.