The former Chief of Defence Intelligence, Retired Brigadier-General Halliru Akilu, has called on leaders in Nigeria to emulate the security approaches adopted by former President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida to address the security challenges facing the nation, especially banditry and kidnapping that are currently bedevilling Nigeria.
General Akilu made the call while contributing to a Virtual International Colloquium on the Legacies of President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida in Ghana over the weekend.
Organized by the Africa Islamic Education Forum, the event attracted eminent participants, including former Presidents and Heads of State, political leaders, academia and researchers from across the continent.
General Akilu said the eight-year rule of President Ibrahim Babangida went through a tough terrain of turmoils and uncertainties capable of derailing the country but always took decisive steps to restore peace and order.
He said it was a leadership shaped not only to direct Nigerian affairs but also to guide the West African sub-region and Africa as a whole.
“The government firmly believed in laying the foundation of stability, promoting regional integration and economic reforms throughout the continent.”
General Akilu advised leaders in the sub-region to take a closer examination of the IBB reforms in the sector which resulted in the splitting of the defunct Nigerian Security Organization( NSO) into three new security outfits namely the Defence Intelligence Agency( DIA), the National Intelligence Agency ( NIA) and the Department of State Services( DSS).
He emphasized that “with the current spate of banditry, kidnappings and general insecurity in the region, now is the time for leaders to replicate the ECOMOG model enunciated by the Babangida government to restore peace and economic freedom.”
On human development, General Akilu told participants that IBB deeply connected with the people he served, citing the founding of the famous Better Life for Rural Dwellers by his late wife, Hajiya Maryam Babangida; and the establishment of the Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure ( DFFRI) which littered the national space with roads, water, health and other essential amenities for the benefit of the rural populace.
A member of the Board of Trustees of the Arewa Consultative Forum, General Akilu profoundly thanked the former Mauritius President for her kind compliments on General Babangida and the legacies he put in place.
He said the participation of President Ameenah and other contributors had gone a long way to further enlighten the world about the IBB government’s accomplishments.
The former Director of Military Intelligence described the holding of the Colloquium as an honour to President Babangida and the people of Nigeria.
In her keynote address earlier, the former Mauritius President, Dr Bibi Ameenah Firdaus Gurib- Fakim noted that the IBB era was a period of giant reforms and the intensification of Infrastructure building.
She hailed the establishment of the two political parties, SDP and NRC during the regime, saying it was a good move to foster lasting democracy.
Dr Ameenah advised West African heads of government to emulate the resilience IBB had shown during ECMOG operations, stressing that there was a serious need to rejuvenate the security of the region in all ramifications.
The daughter of General Babangida, Hajiya Aishatu Babangida expressed gratitude to the former Mauritius President and other speakers, saying that the forum was a great honour to the family of the former Nigerian leader.
Hajiya Aishatu who had taken over as head of the Better Life Project after the demise of her mother, reaffirmed her resolve to execute with rigour all the key objectives of the programme through massive empowerment of local communities.
