THE National Assembly has expressed fears that President Bola Tinubu’s recent withdrawal of police escorts from VIPs might not allow its members to return to their homes and constituencies.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, disclosed this at the presentation of 2026 Appropriation Bill by Tinubu on Friday, December 19.
Akpabio said many of his colleagues had expressed dissatisfaction with the president’s directive to the police authorities to withdraw all the officers protecting VIPs to core policing duties, following worsening insecurity in the nation.
Tinubu had on November 23 ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to executive the directive. He subsequently told his cabinet members to get clearance from him before they could enjoy police protection.
The president advised anyone seeking police escort to request well-armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)
The Kwara State Police Command in a statement on Tuesday, November 18, said the attack left two men fatally shot and several others missing.
Subsequently reports showed that 38 worshippers were whisked away by the gunmen. Tinubu announced their released days later, after the abductors allegedly slashed their ransom to N20 million per head.
Earlier on Monday, November 17, gunmen stormed Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State and abducted several students. They killed the school vice principal.
Similarly, in the early hours of Friday, November 21, terrorists stormed St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School in the Papiri community of Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State, and abducted dozens of students and teachers.
These incidents are just a few of rampant abductions, killings and other crimes by terrorists, bandits and other criminals who operate brazenly across Nigeria.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2023. Contact him via email @ mfatunmole@icirnigeria.org