ABUJA, Nigeria – Former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has publicly criticized a group of Northern governors for their recent trip to the United States to discuss regional security issues, labelling the journey as a demonstration of ignorance regarding Nigeria’s constitution.
According to Lamido, the subject of security, which lies on the Exclusive Legislative List, should not be a primary focus for state governors.
The governors attended a symposium organized by the United States Institute of Peace, held from April 23 to April 25, 2024, focusing on peace and security in the Northwest and Northcentral regions of Nigeria.
While Katsina State’s Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, defended the trip as a crucial step towards addressing Nigeria’s security challenges through international collaboration, Lamido disagreed sharply.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Lamido argued that the governors’ lack of understanding of security issues was evident.
He highlighted the irony of discussing such a complex topic abroad while many of their constituents lack basic amenities like potable water, proper waste management, and adequate educational facilities.
“Security is a very wide subject which their Excellencies must have the capacity to grasp,” Lamido stated, pointing out that many urban towns in their states are struggling with fundamental infrastructural problems.
He also mentioned that children in these regions often attend schools in inadequate conditions, emphasizing the disconnect between the governors’ actions and the immediate needs of their citizens.
Lamido suggested that if the governors were genuinely interested in understanding security dynamics, they could have utilized local resources.
He mentioned the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru, the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria in Badagry, and the National Intelligence Agency as more practical alternatives for acquiring necessary knowledge without the significant costs associated with international travel.
The former governor also criticized the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Intelligence Agency for not guiding the governors more effectively, implying that their involvement facilitated a misstep that could tarnish Nigeria’s international image.
Lamido’s comments have sparked a broader conversation about the role of state governors in managing security and the effectiveness of seeking international solutions to domestic problems.
