UPDATED: Senate requests Tinubu to exempt lawmakers from police withdrawal directive

The Senate on Wednesday appealed to President Bola Tinubu to exempt its members from the presidential directive ordering the withdrawal of police personnel from VIPs, saying the decision poses a security risk to lawmakers.

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The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary, made the appeal after Bauchi Central Senator, Abdul Ningi, complained that his only police orderly had been withdrawn.

Mr Jibrin said the Senate leadership met on Tuesday to deliberate on the matter and resolved to appeal to the president to exempt lawmakers from the directive and restore officers already withdrawn.

“We all know that, and we know Mr President’s directive is in order and quite proper, but I want to assure you that the issue raised to protect you is taken seriously, and the leadership sat yesterday, agreed that the course of action should be undertaken to restore your police orderlies to you, because it’s in line with international practice,” he said.

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The deputy senate president expressed confidence that the president would consider the request, describing Mr Tinubu as a listening leader.

“So, and I’m sure we have a listening president. He will listen to us, and by the grace of God, he will exempt us from that order which was given in good faith, and we all stand by Mr President in his effort to deal with the security problem in our country. He’s doing very well, and we always commend him because we know what he’s doing. So, that is being addressed,” he added.

Police withdrawal directive

On 23 November, President Tinubu ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to VIPs across the country. The Special Protection Unit of the Nigeria Police Force has since begun implementing the directive.

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said the directive followed an audit revealing that 11,566 officers are currently assigned to VIP protection duties. He advised those who still require protection to approach the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Shortly after the Senate’s appeal, President Tinubu reaffirmed his order and directed the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to work with the IGP and the NSCDC to immediately replace withdrawn escorts.

Ningi’s complaint

A few minutes into plenary, Mr Ningi, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said he woke up on Wednesday to discover that the officer assigned to him had been withdrawn.

The senator said he had no objection to the directive but insisted it must apply to all political officeholders, including the president, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.

“I have been around this National Assembly since 1999. Right from 1999 I was having one police orderly. I have never requested any additional security personnel, and I woke up today and was told that my police orderly and other police orderlies have been withdrawn.

“I have no problem with that. My problem is that this should go 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,” he said.

Mr Ningi added that while his orderly had been withdrawn, children of political officeholders, business executives, Chinese nationals in Nigeria, musicians, and other VIPs still moved around with large security convoys.

“Mr President, after they have withdrawn my only orderly. I saw two convoys of ministers, and they were carrying lots of security personnel. I have also seen Chinese and business concerns yesterday with a complement of orderlies. I have also seen the daughters and sons of political officeholders having orderlies and security details. I have seen singers having orderlies and complimentary protection,” he added.

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The senator insisted that the withdrawal must apply to all categories of VIPs, including governors, noting that he would protect himself from any attack.

“I cannot ever imagine that a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigerian who has been here for a very long time, only one orderly, and he is withdrawn and nothing will happen. Like I said earlier Mr. President, I have no problem, but let it be done across the board. Let it be done across the board. I can take care of myself, but let me not see governors, ministers, and business concerned being covered by security establishment.

“This is unheard of in any democracy, and that’s why I said this is a matter that disturbs me. it concerns me. It is not right, and ishould be taken with all seriousness it deserves,” he added.

Mr Ningi urged the Senate to direct its Committee on Police Affairs to investigate why escorts were withdrawn from lawmakers but retained for other individuals.

“And I call the interest of the President of the Senate to ask the Chairman Committee on Police to please investigate why are other people having security covers from the day the Presidency and the Inspector General of Police have made this announcement. You cannot just put the National Assembly as a scapegoat, and others enjoy the privileges of security control,” he added.