Former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, has called for the death penalty for anyone found guilty of killing security personnel, stressing the need for strong deterrents to address the alarming increase in attacks on military and paramilitary officers.
His comments come amidst reports that 229 police officers have been killed in the past 22 months by various criminals, including terrorists and bandits.
Aliyu made the call during the graduation ceremony of the Executive Intelligence Management Course 17 at the National Institute of Security Studies in Abuja on Saturday. The event was attended by key dignitaries, including 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.
“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!” Aliyu declared.
Aliyu also criticised state governors for overly relying on the federal government to combat insecurity, urging them to take more responsibility by effectively utilising their security votes.
“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,” he said. “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.”
Aliyu highlighted the importance of fostering patriotism through a mutual relationship of trust between citizens and the government. He argued that citizens are more likely to be loyal when they feel protected by their leaders.
“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?”
The former governor also addressed Nigeria’s controversial tax reform bills, criticising the federal government for its poor communication strategy. The bills—the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024, and the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024—have stirred significant debate.
Northern governors have rejected the new derivation-based VAT distribution model proposed in the bills, while the National Economic Council has called for their withdrawal to allow further consultation.
Aliyu said, “I was speaking to the NSA when we were in the common room, and I said to him, look, many of the people debating the tax bill have not read it. 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.”
At the ceremony, Vice President Kashim Shettima highlighted evolving global security threats, including cyber warfare, disinformation, and climate migration. He called for innovative solutions to tackle these challenges and urged the graduates to leverage their training to turn crises into opportunities for growth and stability.
“Our world shrinks every day, and no challenge in one nation can be isolated from others,” Shettima said. “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 honour our shared humanity. Learning is the gateway to finding lasting solutions to complex problems.”
DSS Director-General Adéọlá Oluwatosin Àjàyí also expressed optimism about Nigeria’s security outlook, crediting enhanced collaboration among security agencies for recent improvements.
“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 said.
The EIMC 17 graduation ceremony included 91 participants from Nigeria and five foreign countries—Chad, The Gambia, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Rwanda. It attracted several ministers and high-ranking government officials, underscoring the importance of collaboration and innovation in addressing national and global security challenges.
