There was anger on the floor of the Senate Wednesday as Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) led many other lawmakers in protesting against what they described as uneven implementation of President Bola Tinubu’s directive for withdrawal of police orderlies from Very Important Persons, VIPs, in the country.
This was even as they sought for exemption of lawmakers from the directive as being enjoyed by the President, Vice President, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, state governors and their deputies, among others, warning that lawmakers should not be used as scapegoats.
President Tinubu had recently ordered the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to withdraw police personnel providing security for VIPs amid escalating security challenges in the country.
He also directed police authorities to redeploy the orderlies to concentrate on their core duties, a move that mandated the Special Protection Unit, SPU, of the Nigeria Police Force to order all officers attached to VIPs and beats nationwide to return to their bases.
Ningi, however, raised complaints and concerns about the implementation of the presidential directive in a motion brought through Point of Order, lamenting that the only police orderly he has was withdrawn in the early hours of Wednesday while some other VIPs in the country are still enjoying the privilege.
The senator demanded that withdrawal should be done across board from top to bottom in the spirit of fairness and equity.
He said: “It should be done across the board. Let’s see what happens from the Office of the President, to the Vice President, to the Senate President, to the Speaker of the House, to the ministers. Mr. President, I’m coming after they have withdrawn my only orderly.
“I saw two convoys of ministers and they were carrying lots of security personnel. Mr. President, I have also seen business concerns, Chinese and other business concerns, yesterday (Tuesday) with their compliments of orderlies.
“Mr. President, I have also seen daughters and sons of political office holders having orderlies and having security covers.
“Mr. President, I have seen singers having orderlies and complimentary protection. I cannot ever imagine that a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who has been here for a very long time, will have his only one orderly withdrawn.
“I can take care of myself, but let it be done across the board. Let me not see governors, ministers and business tycoons, being escorted by security personnel.
“This matter should be addressed with all seriousness it deserved. I, therefore, call on the President of the Senate to ask the Chairman of Committee on Police Affairs to investigate why the directive is seemingly being implemented selectively. The National Assembly should not be used as a scape goat,” he said.
In his remarks, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session, said issue raised by Ningi was extensively deliberated upon by the leadership of the Senate on Tuesday.
He specifically informed the Senator and other affected Senators that efforts are being made to convince the presidency to exempt members of the National Assembly from orderly withdrawal implementation.
“I want to assure you that the issue raised to protect you is taken seriously, and that at the leadership side yesterday, we agreed that the course of action should be undertaken in order to restore your police order to you, because it’s in line with international practice.
“I’m sure we have a listening President. He will listen to us, and by the grace of God, he will save us from that order, which was given in good faith.”
Several senators had on November 26 raised similar concerns about the presidential directive, warning that the move could expose them to grave security risks.
They raised the concerns during a debate at plenary on the escalating insecurity across the country, triggered by a motion moved by Senator Lola Ashiru (APC, Kwara South), on the need for urgent federal intervention.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Aliyu Wamakko (APC, Sokoto North) said the withdrawal of police escorts from top government officials and other VIPs was ill-timed, given the worsening security situation across the country.
According to him, public office holders remain high-value targets for terrorists, kidnappers and other criminal gangs, making the decision potentially dangerous.
“Our lives are in danger. At a time when criminals are becoming more desperate and attacks are on the rise, withdrawing police protection from senators and other VIPs exposes us to avoidable risks. This policy needs to be reviewed,” Wamakko said.
Similarly, Senator Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), said withdrawing police protection from public officials at a time of heightened criminal activities would put their lives at serious risk.
He said senators and other VIPs have become prime targets for terrorists, kidnappers and armed gangs, making the directive “dangerous and poorly timed”.
“The withdrawal of security from VIPs will expose many of us to unnecessary danger. The security situation is deteriorating. Kidnappers and criminals are becoming more emboldened. Removing police protection now is like opening us up to attacks,” he said.
