By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
President Bola Tinubu has restated his order to pull police officers off Very Important Persons (VIPs) and return them to core policing duties.
Tinubu further directed that the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, should liaise with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to immediately replace withdrawn escorts.
He stated this minutes before presiding over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday, December 10.
“I honestly believe in what I said…It should be effected. If you have any problem because of the nature of your assignment, contact the IGP and get my clearance,” he said.
The president said the police officers on special security duties should be replaced by NSCDC personnel.
He said: “The minister of interior should liaise with the IG and the Civil Defence structure to replace those police officers who are on special security duties, so that you don’t leave people exposed.”
Tinubu asked the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, and the Department of State Services (DSS) to issue further guidance and ensure the directive is implemented.
He said: “NSA and DSS will provide further information and form the committee and review the structure.”
The president stressed that the move was in response to a spike in abductions, saying, “We are facing challenges of kidnapping. We need all the forces we have on the ground, fully utilised.”
He further said: “I know some of our people are exposed, and I understand that we have to make exceptional provision for them, and civil defence is equally armed, and I want the NSA to arm our forest guards too, take it very seriously.”
Meanwhile, the Senate has appealed to President Tinubu to exempt lawmakers from the presidential directive ordering the withdrawal of police personnel from VIPs.
The Red Chamber made the appeal during plenary on Wednesday, saying the decision poses a security risk to lawmakers.
The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary, made the appeal after Kebbi Central Senator, Abdul Ningi, complained that his only police orderly had been withdrawn.
Ningi said he woke up on Wednesday to discover that the officer assigned to him had been removed, while sons and daughters of political office holders, Chinese business officials, singers, and many others still maintain large security convoys.
The Deputy Senate President 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.
Jibrin said he was confident that the president would consider the request, describing Tinubu as a listening leader.
Tinubu had on November 23 ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to VIPs across the country, following a series of attacks and kidnappings across Kebbi, Kwara and Niger states.
