Lawmakers in the Nigerian Senate have raised concerns over what they describe as the selective enforcement of the presidential order directing the withdrawal of police officers attached to very important personalities (VIPs) across the country.
During Wednesday’s plenary, the lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction that the Nigeria Police Force had begun withdrawing police orderlies attached to senators, while other high-ranking public officials continued to retain their full security details.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) brought the matter to the floor under a point of order, revealing that his only police orderly had been withdrawn in compliance with the new directive.
He lamented that, despite similar positions of responsibility, many influential individuals and top government functionaries were still fully protected.
Deputy Senate President, Senator Jubrin Barau, who presided over the session, aligned with the concerns raised.
He observed that the directive appeared to be implemented strictly for legislators, while members of the executive arm, state governors, ministers, heads of agencies, and privileged businesspersons continued to enjoy police escorts.
Barau assured his colleagues that the issue had been forwarded to the relevant authorities for urgent clarification and corrective action.
He emphasized that the Senate would not tolerate discriminatory enforcement of a directive meant to apply uniformly across all arms and levels of government.
The lawmakers reaffirmed their demand for fairness, insisting that security protocols must not favour a particular class of public officials at the expense of others.
