Senators on Wednesday raised fiery objections over what they described as the selective withdrawal of police orderlies under Bola Tinubu’s directive, warning that members of the National Assembly of Nigeria are being unfairly treated as scapegoats.
In a motion under point-of-order, Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) revealed that his only police orderly was withdrawn on Wednesday morning, even as business tycoons, entertainers, children of public office holders, and corporate entities still enjoy heavy police escorts. Ningi pleaded that if the policy to redeploy over 11,000 police personnel attached to VIPs nationwide was genuine, it should be applied uniformly — from the presidency down to private individuals with security details.
The Senate leadership responded by promising to engage with relevant authorities for an exemption for lawmakers. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin said a move has begun to restore senators’ police orderlies, arguing that protection for legislators aligns with international parliamentary practice.
The controversy underscores growing tension between efforts to strengthen community policing and concerns over selective enforcement of security-reform measures — raising broader questions about equity, safety for public servants, and trust in government policy implementation.
