The recent attack on the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru near Jos, the Plateau State capital, in which three security operatives were killed, is yet another unfortunate security incident in the country. It shows that terrorists are not willing to relent in their cruel activities despite the government stepping up operations against them. The incident necessarily calls for a fresh government initiative to protect all agencies, particularly those considered at high risk. Terrorists will go to any length to make their mark, as buttressed by their various attacks even on military bases.

Nevertheless, the attack could have been prevented, or the casualty minimised if the proactive approach to fighting insecurity that has been widely advocated were adopted and some necessary things done. Security agencies appear to be reactive, much against the high level of sophistication with which terrorists carry out attacks on their targets. The government must always be stronger and ahead of any evil plan by criminals. That is the power of intelligence which must be backed by strong political will of the leaders. Terrorists will continue to exploit weaknesses in the government’s security apparatus where these exist.

At approximately 11:40 pm on Monday, June 15, 2026, some heavily armed men suspected to be terrorists reportedly breached the perimeter fence of the NIPSS and opened fire on the security operatives manning the gate. In the ensuing gun battle, the hoodlums killed two soldiers and a police officer. According to reports, the criminals were prevented from penetrating further into the facility, and the situation was brought under control within a short time.

Subsequently, President Bola Tinubu ordered immediate security reinforcement around the institute while Vice President Kashim Shettima visited the institution for on-the-spot assessment of the incident. Later in the same week, Shettima, who visited participants of the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 48, 2026 at the embattled institute, conveyed the Federal Government’s condolences to the families of the slain security personnel and assured them of government support. He also disclosed that President Tinubu had directed immediate activation of some emergency security measures at NIPSS, with the Director-General mandated to work closely with the armed forces, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Directorate of State Services (DSS) to strengthen security around the area.

The media reported President Tinubu as saying that the attack on NIPSS had further strengthened the government’s resolve to safeguard strategic national institutions, support security personnel, and prevent future security breaches. And as part of the now ‘strengthened government resolve’, according to Shettima, President Tinubu has also ordered submission of an action plan within 72 hours, detailing permanent security reinforcement covering surveillance systems, personnel deployment, access control mechanisms and emergency response infrastructure. ‘Weekly progress report will follow until full implementation. No future attack must find us unprepared,’ Shettima said.

These are clear instructions dished out by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, but the action only reflects the reactive approach to fighting crime that has not only failed the country but also emboldened the criminals. Who is the president’s adviser who is just realising the need for these steps to be taken?  On August 24, 2021, one of the prominent military institutions, the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), was attacked in Kaduna, resulting in the death of two military officers, Lt. Commander Wulah and Ft. Lt. Okoronwo, while Major Christopher Datong was kidnapped, though he was later successfully rescued and the leader of the terrorists, Boderi Isyaku, was killed by troops during military operations.

To prevent recurrence, the military has fortified the NDA and the surrounding divisions, utilising helicopter gunships and joint operations to pre-emptively neutralise terrorists that may be planning to infiltrate the academy and the environment. Thankfully, since then, there has been no other attack on the NDA. Other major institutions that have suffered attacks by terrorists include the Kangiwa Border post in Yobe State, Kuje Medium Security Prison in Abuja, other correctional facilities and schools as well as several military formations in Borno State.

From all these incidents, it is not encouraging that the president would be the officer to issue commands to security agencies to do their job. The agencies have competent leaders and officers who are expected to be on top of their assignment. The attack on the NDA, for instance, was enough to make the government carry out a massive raid on terrorists’ enclaves and destabilise them from attacking any other agency.

Shettima’s comment that ‘no future attack must find us unprepared’ is an admission of government failure to be proactive. This distressing attitude must stop. The nation’s constitution declares security and welfare of the people as the primary purpose of the government, meaning that nothing else should be more important than effectively protecting the citizens and improving upon their welfare. The same lacklustre attitude is undermining the implementation of the Safe School Initiative of the government meant to ensure the safety of children in the classrooms, and consequently callous kidnappers have continued to abduct many pupils, including toddlers, across the country while many victims have been killed.

Urgently, the government should take measures to protect all national institutions, especially those in high-risk areas, as promised by President Tinubu. It is unfortunate that even as terrorists have turned Nigeria into a theatre of bloodshed, a killing field, some Nigerian leaders, including political office holders, still refer to the devilish elements as their brothers. It is a shameful promotion of injustice and the height of insensitivity to the plight of victims.  Terrorists are the greatest enemies of Nigeria and Nigerians and they must be crushed. The huge budgetary appropriations on security should be wisely invested in intelligence and cyber security apparatuses to identify and neutralise threats before they materialise. This is how Western countries have been able to significantly degrade the capabilities of major terrorist groups. Terrorists should not be able to scale the perimeter fence of NIPSS without being detected and neutralised. Some technologies would even have captured the advancement of the attackers towards the institute and necessary action could have been taken against them before they were able to strike. The attack on NIPSS was possible due to failure of intelligence, which is a negative for the government.

The incident in NIPSS should make the National Assembly and other stakeholders accelerate work on the creation of state police. Nigeria really needs a new policing strategy buoyed by the seriousness and political will of the leaders to end the scourge of terrorism in the country. It remains the job of the government to provide protection for Nigerians and other residents in the country.