The Senate on Wednesday asked President Bola Tinubu to exempt members of the National Assembly from his directive ordering the withdrawal of police personnel attached to VIPs across the country.
The request followed a Point of Order on Privilege raised during plenary by Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP–Bauchi), who complained about the withdrawal of his only police orderly while other political office holders and individuals continued to enjoy police protection.
President Tinubu had earlier ordered the redeployment of police officers attached to VIPs to strengthen core policing duties in communities nationwide.
Raising the matter, Ningi said he had served in the National Assembly since 1999 and had always been assigned just one police orderly, noting that he had no objection to the withdrawal but insisted it must be implemented fairly and across the board.
“I don’t have any problem with that. My problem is that this thing should go across the board,” Ningi said.
He questioned why senior government officials, including ministers, as well as relatives of political office holders and even entertainers, were still moving with police escorts despite the presidential order.
“After they withdrew my orderly, I saw two convoys of ministers carrying lots of security personnel. I have also seen daughters and sons of political office holders having orderlies. I have even seen singers having orderlies,” he said.
Ningi described the situation as unfair and insulting, stressing that it was unacceptable for a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to have his only police orderly withdrawn while others continued to enjoy security cover.
He urged the Senate President to direct the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police to investigate why the directive was being selectively implemented.
“You cannot just put the National Assembly as scapegoats while others enjoy the privileges of security control,” he said.
Responding, Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, who presided over the plenary, said the Senate leadership had already discussed the issue.
“Yesterday, we had a leadership meeting. This matter was discussed and we took an action. We expect the outcome of that action to be available to us today,” Barau said.
He assured senators that the leadership was engaging relevant authorities and expressed confidence that President Tinubu would listen to the Senate’s concerns.
“I’m sure we have a president who listens to us and, by the grace of God, he will exempt us from that order,” Barau said.
He added that the Senate fully supported the President’s efforts to address the country’s security challenges, noting that lawmakers would continue to commend his actions in that regard.
