Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
In order to put an end to the indiscriminate killing of security personnel in the country, former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, has called for a death penalty for anyone who kills a security personnel, saying it would serve as deterrent to them.
This is coming on the heels of the 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 while speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Executive Intelligence Management Course 17 at the National Institute of Security Studies (NISS) in Abuja.
He also lambasted 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.
“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.”
At the ceremony, DSS Director-General Ajayi expressed optimism about Nigeria’s security outlook, highlighting enhanced collaboration among security agencies as a key factor in overcoming challenges.
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.