By Shu’aibu Usman LemanThe reported attack on the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, near Jos, is an incident that should command the immediate, unwavering attention of every serious-minded Nigerian. For me, this is not merely another security report to be filed away in the annals of our history; it is a profound development with far-reaching implications for the safety of those who shape our national direction and the very integrity of our governance framework.
My reaction to this incident is informed by more than just my professional background in media advocacy and the long-standing, arduous struggle for the safety of my colleagues in the Fourth Estate. It is deeply rooted in personal experience. Between June 2009 and May 2010, I served as the Consultant on Media and Public Communication at NIPSS. That tenure provided me with an intimate, first-hand insight into the institution’s mission, its internal dynamics, and its unmatched strategic importance to the Nigerian project.
To those unfamiliar with its architecture, NIPSS is not an ordinary government establishment. It is Nigeria’s premier policy think tank and executive leadership training institution—a sanctuary where the country’s most accomplished public servants, senior military commanders, Police Chiefs, intelligence chiefs, diplomats, and private sector visionaries gather annually to reflect on the future of our nation.
It is where policy is forged and where the intellectual scaffolding of our democracy is, in theory, reinforced.
Historically, NIPSS was conceived as a crucible for national integration. It was designed to bring together the best minds from across Nigeria’s diverse ethnic, religious, and professional backgrounds to foster a unified vision of statecraft. When that crucible is threatened, the message sent to the nation is one of profound instability. It suggests that not even the institutions tasked with imagining our future are safe from the chaos that currently plagues our present.
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Because of this unique role, reports that armed men allegedly tried to breach the institute’s perimeter around the residential quarters of the Senior Executive Course participants are particularly harrowing. If these accounts are accurate, the incident cannot be dismissed as random, opportunistic criminal activity. The apparent focus on the high-security residential area raises alarming questions regarding intent, reconnaissance, and the potential identification of specific, high-value targets.
The residential wing of NIPSS houses individuals who hold sensitive, often classified positions in our national life. Any successful attack on such a facility would have triggered consequences far beyond the borders of Plateau State. It is sobering to reflect on the catastrophic national shock that would have followed the abduction or injury of multiple senior officials. The political, security, and psychological repercussions would have been devastating, potentially paralysing our decision-making apparatus at a time when we are already navigating a precarious security landscape.
At this juncture, it is essential to express my sincere, heartfelt condolences to the families of the security personnel who paid the ultimate price while repelling the attack. Their sacrifice in the line of duty underscores the steep human cost of safeguarding our institutions, and they deserve our enduring honour and support. Their bravery may well have averted a national tragedy, and for that, we owe them a debt of gratitude that goes beyond mere words.
The vulnerability underscored by this event is further highlighted by the recent, heart-wrenching tragedy involving Major General Rabe Abubakar Retd. That he reportedly died under mysterious circumstances while held in captivity, even while his wife was subsequently rescued by the military, serves as a grim reminder of the high-stakes environment in which our security personnel and their families operate. When individuals who have dedicated their lives to the defence of the nation face such peril, it signals a systemic failure that demands urgent correction.
While we honour the valour of those who defend our institutions, we must also confront the deeply uncomfortable, systemic questions that this attempted breach forces into the light. How were attackers able to approach and tried to penetrate such a sensitive, high-profile institution? What intelligence existed prior to the incident, and were there early warning signs that were overlooked or ignored?
The question of motive remains equally critical. Was this an attempted kidnapping operation, a targeted mission aimed at specific individuals, or a broader, coordinated effort to embarrass the state and sow fear among the nation’s elite?
Of particular concern is the distinct possibility that the attackers possessed prior knowledge of the layout, the security rotations, and the occupants. If this proves to be the case, the incident must prompt an immediate, comprehensive, and uncompromising review of security arrangements—not only at NIPSS but at all strategic national institutions across the federation.
We are operating in an increasingly complex and hostile security environment. Criminal groups and non-state actors are becoming more sophisticated, more audacious, and significantly more organised in their operations. Institutions that were once considered impregnable can no longer afford the luxury of complacency. The painful lesson from the Kuru incident is clear, that strategic institutions require strategic, modern protection. True security in this century demands intelligence-led policing, cutting-edge technological surveillance, rigorous risk assessment, and effective, seamless inter-agency coordination. We can no longer rely on perimeter fencing and static guards alone.
This leads us to a more uncomfortable reality, the necessity of a paradigm shift in how we conceive of ‘national security.’ For too long, our approach has been reactive rather than proactive. We invest in security only after the perimeter has been breached, rather than integrating security into the very design and daily operation of our intellectual and policy-making hubs. The Kuru incident reveals a chilling gap in our defensive posture—a gap that suggests we have not yet fully grasped that our enemies are no longer just roaming the fringes of our forests, but have begun to eye the very citadels of our decision-making.
Furthermore, we must address the issue of inter-agency silos. The protection of a national treasure like NIPSS cannot be the sole burden of a single security outfit. It requires a synergy between our intelligence agencies, the military, the police, and even the local community. If the attackers had reconnaissance, it means they were embedded, or at the very least, operating with a level of local intelligence that our current security architecture is failing to detect. We need to move toward a model of ‘community-integrated intelligence,’ where the security of these institutions is treated as a shared national imperative rather than a guarded institutional secret.
In this context, the role of the press becomes paramount. As a former official of the NUJ, I have always maintained that the media is the watchdog ofg democracy, not merely a conveyor of tragedy. In the aftermath of this attack, it is incumbent upon journalists to go beyond the surface of the event. We must rigorously question the security protocols, demand transparency regarding the investigation, and hold those responsible for the safety of our institutions to account. We cannot allow this story to fade from the headlines until we receive credible answers and evidence of systemic reform. A silent press in the face of such a breach is a disservice to the very nation we seek to protect.
The attack also highlights the broader, lingering security challenges in Plateau State. For years, the state has grappled with recurring cycles of violence, communal conflict, and criminal audacity.
While various efforts have been made to restore lasting peace, incidents such as this indicate that significant, perhaps even systemic, vulnerabilities remain. As investigations continue, we must avoid drawing premature conclusions, but we must also ensure that institutional caution does not translate into inaction.
Nigerians deserve a full, transparent, and detailed account of what transpired and the robust, long-term measures being taken to prevent a recurrence.
For me, this incident is deeply personal. Having spent my career as a journalist and administrator defending the role of information and the necessity of stable, protected institutions, I view this as more than just a failure of security; it is a direct threat to the stability of our nation. NIPSS is one of the few places where our leaders come together, transcending partisan, ethnic, and religious considerations, to reflect on our collective future. When a place dedicated to intellectual growth and national cohesion is targeted, it undermines the very foundation of our sovereignty.
The nation may have been fortunate this time, saved by the grit of those who stood their ground. But it would be a grave, perhaps fatal, mistake to assume that such fortune will always hold. The attack on NIPSS is a wake-up call that we ignore at our own peril. We must stop treating security as a line item in a budget and start treating it as the oxygen for our national survival. If the guardians of our policy cannot be kept safe, what hope remains for the rest of the citizenry? It is time for a thorough audit of our strategic assets, a reconfiguration of our protection protocols, and, most importantly, an honest conversation about the state of our national security apparatus.
Leman is a former National Secretary of Nigeria Union of Journalists-NUJ
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