Reps Want Classified Information Secured, Set Up Committee On National Intelligence

Members of the House of Representatives said it has began the process of securing classified information from public access stating that the rate at which classified information’s spread on the social media is disturbing.

This is just as the Green Chamber on Thursday resolved to create a joint committee on National Security Intelligence, Information Technology and Defence with a mandate to carry out forensic data storage, data protection and flow of information of all security agencies and inspect the level of data security operated by some of the agencies.

The focus of the committee includes the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Identity Management Commission and other data collection agencies.

The House’s resolution followed the adoption of a motion by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party from Oyo State, Adedeji Olajide, who noted that the rate at which classified and confidential documents find their way to the public and social media was worrisome.

He urged the House to put in place measures to address the development.

He said, “Our security agents are being attacked by bandits while going for rapid response due to leak of information and national security is also compromised,” stressing that “the flow of unauthorised classified information and documents to the public domain is now almost at the discretions of a government official; the rate at which classified information’s spread on the social media is disturbing.”

Describing the development as a national security concern in need of urgent intervention, the lawmaker added that even top security chiefs had at one time or the other spoken out about it.

If the Chief of the Army Staff decries the leakage of classified documents appearing on social media, then there is a serious issue at our hands as a nation and it’s our duty as legislators to call for forensic investigation of all our security agencies,” he added.

He further added that data leakages in the public sectors portray the government in a bad light, weaken the action plan, and undermine the national security of the nation.