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Jos, Plateau State
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Friday visited the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, Plateau State, to conduct an on‑the‑spot assessment of the institution's operations, facilities and ongoing strategic programmes following Tuesday's attack by suspected gunmen.
The Vice President, accompanied by Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, and other senior government officials, was received upon arrival by the Director‑General of NIPSS, Professor Ayo Omotayo, alongside members of the institute's management team. The visit came days after armed men attacked the institute, killing three persons, two soldiers and one police officer, and raising fresh concerns over security at Nigeria's foremost policy and strategic studies centre.
During his address to participants of Senior Executive Course (SEC) 48, Shettima conveyed President Bola Tinubu's directive for the immediate and permanent reinforcement of security at the institute. The Vice President announced that the President had ordered the activation of emergency security measures, with the Director‑General of NIPSS mandated to work closely with the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) to fortify the perimeter without delay.
His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has directed that emergency security measures be activated at once, with the DG to coordinate with the Armed Forces, the Police, and the DSS to fortify the perimeter without delay, Shettima said.
According to the Vice President, the President has further ordered the submission of a comprehensive action plan within 72 hours, detailing permanent security reinforcement measures covering surveillance systems, personnel deployment, access control mechanisms, and emergency response infrastructure. Weekly progress reports will follow until full implementation. No future attack must find us unprepared, Shettima declared.
"We Mourn With You" Shettima Condoles With Families
Expressing the condolences of the Federal Government, Shettima sympathised with the families of the fallen security personnel and assured them of government support.
"I come to you with a heavy heart and a firm spirit. A banditry attack on the perimeter of NIPSS claimed the lives of two gallant soldiers and one courageous policeman. To their families, to the Nigerian Armed Forces, and to the Nigeria Police Force, I extend, on behalf of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the entire Federal Government, our deepest condolences," he said.
"We mourn with you. We share your pain. And we honour their sacrifice," he added.
The Vice President also assured participants and staff that their safety remained a top priority, pledging: "The sacrifice of those three brave men will not be in vain. Their children will be our children. Their welfare will be our responsibility".
Shettima described NIPSS as Nigeria's strategic intellectual nerve centre and a vital national asset whose protection must remain a top national security priority. He noted that although the attackers intended to create fear and disrupt the training of future leaders, the incident instead demonstrated the courage, resilience and discipline of participants, management and security personnel at the institute.
When darkness came to the gates of this Institute, it expected to find people who would scatter into the night. It found instead men and women who stood their ground, Shettima told SEC 48 participants.
You did not flee. You did not abandon your colleagues. You faced the worst that cruelty could send, and you answered it with composure, with courage, and with the steady discipline of people who understand exactly why they were summoned to this place, he added.
The Director‑General of NIPSS, Professor Ayo Omotayo, confirmed that security agencies have arrested several suspects in connection with the attack. Omotayo disclosed that intelligence reports had indicated the likelihood of an attack prior to the incident, a development that enabled security operatives to respond swiftly and limit the scale of the assault.
The Plateau State Police Command had earlier confirmed the death of three security personnel during the Tuesday early morning attack. Police Public Relations Officer, SP Alfred Alabo, confirmed the casualties in a statement on Tuesday. Security agencies have since strengthened security deployments within and around the institute to prevent a recurrence.
The Vice President's visit underscores the Federal Government's commitment to strengthening security around critical national institutions and ensuring the continued safety of personnel and strategic facilities across the country. Shettima stressed that those responsible for the attack would not succeed in undermining the purpose and mission of the institute or weakening national resolve.
Authorities say efforts are ongoing to stabilise the area and reinforce security around critical national institutions in Plateau State following the attack.