Police Accused Me of Threatening National Security — Lamido

Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, described a confrontation with the then Inspector General of Police, Aliyu Attah, shortly before the 1992 gubernatorial election, accusing the police of trying to suppress political opposition during the military regime of President Ibrahim Babangida.

In his memoir “Being True To Myself” (Page 104), Lamido recalled being summoned to the Kam Salem House on Molooney Street in Lagos, where the police chief questioned him over campaign speeches labeled by authorities as “inciting” and a threat to national security.

“A couple of days to the gubernatorial election, the Inspector General of Police (IG), Aliyu Attah, invited me to Kam Salem House at Molooney Street in Lagos,” Lamido wrote. “When I arrived, he brought out about twenty recorded tapes and said:

‘All these tapes contain your speeches, which were very inciting and inflammatory and are undermining our national security. Therefore, we want to warn you please. If you want to be a Governor, you must show some moderation in your language and the way you speak. We are warning you that we shall not tolerate it further. Actually, we are looking at how we can even prosecute you.’”

Lamido said he rejected the warning and defended his right to speak freely to the electorate.

“I draw my political authority from the people, to whom I campaigned and talked to, not you. You can’t guide me on what to say to my own people. Who are you? You are talking about security in Nigeria, but look at what President Babangida is doing in this country. Is he not destroying our nation? I beg your pardon. I want to be a Governor on my own terms and those of my party and people. Not by your own dictates. I am not doing it for you or for Babangida. I am doing it for the people of Jigawa State. What is wrong with my language? What do I moderate? What have I said that is wrong? Is it because I say that this government is bad? Is it not bad?”

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