Wednesday, December 10, 2025 | The Senate has officially mandated its Committee on Police Affairs – chaired by Sen. Ahmed Abdulhamid Malam-Madori (Jigawa North-West) – to investigate the alleged selective implementation of President Bola Tinubu’s directive to withdraw police escorts from Very Important Persons (VIPs).
The move was triggered by a point of order raised by Sen. Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), who complained that police orderlies had been withdrawn from lawmakers while numerous influential figures—including ministers, business executives, political families, and celebrities—continue to retain armed escorts.
The Deputy Senate President, Sen. Barau Jibrin, acknowledged the seriousness of the concerns and confirmed that the Senate leadership was already engaging with relevant authorities. He assured the lawmakers that action was being taken to address the situation.
President Tinubu initially issued the order to withdraw police personnel from VIP protection to re-deploy an estimated 100,000 officers to frontline policing duties, aiming to strengthen the police force and combat rising insecurity.
Amid the controversy and allegations of selective compliance, the President has since reiterated his directive, instructing ministers and senior officials to seek his clearance before requesting police escorts for official assignments. He also directed the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to provide guidance on the order’s implementation and for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to step in to provide protection where necessary, to ensure no one is left exposed.
The Committee on Police Affairs was instructed to conduct a proper investigation into the alleged uneven enforcement of the presidential directive and report back to the Senate within four weeks.
