Implementation of President Bola Tinubu’s directive ordering the withdrawal of police orderlies from Very Important Personalities (VIPs) sparked outrage in the Senate on Wednesday, with lawmakers demanding exemption and warning that they must not be used as scapegoats.

President Tinubu had, two weeks ago, directed Kayode Egbetokun, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), to withdraw about 11,000 police personnel attached to VIPs nationwide as part of measures to tackle the country’s insecurity.

However, during Wednesday’s plenary, senators expressed concerns over the alleged selective implementation of the directive following a motion raised by Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central).

Raising a point of order, Ningi told the chamber that his only police orderly was withdrawn in the early hours of Wednesday, while several other VIPs across the country continued to retain their security aides.

He argued that the directive must be enforced uniformly.

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 President, I’m coming after they have withdrawn my only orderly.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, 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a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who has been here for a very long time, will have his only one orderly, withdrawn.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 the seriousness it deserves. I therefore called 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.”

Responding, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, said the matter had been deliberated extensively by the Senate leadership on Tuesday.

He assured lawmakers that efforts were underway to persuade the presidency to exempt members of the National Assembly from the withdrawal policy.

“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,” he said. (BusinessDay)

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