The former Governor of Niger State Babangida Aliyu has called for death penalty for anyone who kills a security personnel.
Aliyu emphasizes the need for strong deterrents to curb the alarming rate of attacks on military and paramilitary officers.
His statement follows reports that at least 229 police officers have been killed in the past 22 months by criminals, including terrorists, bandits, and gunmen.
Aliyu made the recommendation on Saturday during the graduation ceremony of the Executive Intelligence Management Course 17 at the National Institute of Security Studies (NISS) in Abuja, an event attended by prominent dignitaries.
These included President Bola Tinubu, represented by the National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu; Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike; Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Christopher Musa; and DSS Director-General Adéọlá Oluwatosin Àjàyí.
The former governor also criticized state governors for relying too heavily on the federal government to tackle insecurity, urging them to take responsibility by utilizing their security votes to adequately fund security agencies.
Aliyu further emphasized the importance of patriotism, emphasizing that mutual trust between citizens and the government is key to fostering loyalty.
The ex-governor also weighed in on Nigeria’s controversial tax reform bills, criticizing the federal government for failing to effectively communicate their content.
He argued that many Nigerians opposing the bills have not studied them and urged the government to improve its communication strategy to ensure public understanding.
The three bills—the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024, and the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024—have sparked widespread debate.
Northern governors rejected the new derivation-based VAT distribution model outlined in the bills, while the National Economic Council has called for their withdrawal to allow more consultation.
“But again, there is the problem of communications; the government should speak more. When the majority of the people are not literate, you should be the first to speak on any major policy, particularly a policy that will bring changes, so that the people can understand.
“I have not seen any country where about 38 soldiers would be killed and there will be deafening silence afterwards. I want to recommend that anybody that kills a uniformed person must die!
“When people talk of patriotism, patriotism is not taken in one eye. Patriotism comes as the result of a symbiotic relationship between the government and the governed. If I realize that the government protects me, why would I not love my government?
“No doubt about it, the State governors should stop blaming the federal government for insecurity in their States. Huge sums of security votes are there for them to use to take care of the challenges.
“Any competent governor should not cry to the center every time there is a security issue in his State. They should take charge and fund the security agencies serving them adequately.”
The event also saw Vice President Shettima emphasizing the evolving nature of global security threats such as cyber warfare, disinformation, and climate migration, calling for innovative approaches to address these challenges.
Shettima urged the graduates to leverage their training to transform crises into opportunities for stability and growth.
The VP stated, “Our world shrinks every day, and no challenge in one nation can be isolated from others. The social and economic tensions we must douse as leaders cannot be addressed with archaic ideas.
“Your journey through this institution has equipped you not only to defend but to build alliances that honor our shared humanity. Learning is the gateway to finding lasting solutions to complex problems.”
At the ceremony, DSS Director-General Àjàyí expressed optimism about Nigeria’s security outlook, highlighting enhanced collaboration among security agencies as a key factor in overcoming challenges.
He assured that, with continued synergy, Nigerians could soon experience a significant improvement in national security.
“Together we can win. CDS and NSA have driven a synergy in a way I have never seen in my career. We need to work together. Our takeaway from here is that no security challenge can defeat us if we work together.
“Very soon, all Nigerians will sleep with their two eyes closed. Thank the President for the direction you are taking the country,” Àjàyí added, expressing optimism about Nigeria’s security outlook.
The NISS graduation, which included 91 participants from Nigeria and five foreign countries—Chad, The Gambia, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Rwanda—also attracted several ministers and high-ranking government officials.
