Former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu has criticized governors who blame the federal government for the security challenges in their states. He argued that no competent governor should resort to asking the federal government for help regarding insecurity.
Aliyu made this statement during the graduation ceremony for the Executive Intelligence Management Course 17 at the National Institute for Security Studies in Abuja on Saturday. He emphasized that governors should not “cry” to the centre whenever faced with security issues, questioning how governors handle their security votes and the actions they take based on security reports provided to them.
He shared his experience as governor, saying, “When I became governor of Niger State, I understood the importance of the DSS. I worked closely with them, reading their daily reports, which were invaluable. They helped me defeat bandits, even suggesting the use of a helicopter to patrol the state’s borders. It worked.”
Aliyu further stated, “If a governor complains that he’s not in charge of security, he’s either lying, incompetent, or clueless about what he’s doing. Many of those who complain don’t even read the security reports. As Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, I made sure to read every report. If I didn’t receive one within two days, I would follow up. Governors should not blame the federal government when they have the means to act.”
He also questioned the purpose of security votes if governors were not using them to support local security agencies. “Security votes are meant to help you assist security agencies in your area. If you are complaining to the federal government.where are the security votes going?
