A former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase, on Wednesday raised alarms that bandits were threatening to abduct members of the National Assembly. He made the revelation during the resumed debate on national security in the lower chamber, urging President Bola Tinubu to review his directive on the withdrawal of police operatives attached to Very Important Personalities (VIPs).
President Tinubu had ordered the recall of police officers attached to VIPs during a security meeting in Abuja, attended by Service Chiefs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services. The directive mandates the Special Protection Unit of the Nigeria Police Force to pull officers from VIP escorts and redeploy them to core policing duties.
Under the new arrangement, VIPs seeking armed protection will now need to request personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), rather than the police. The Presidency clarified that the policy is intended to strengthen security presence in communities, particularly remote regions where police numbers are insufficient and residents frequently face attacks.
However, Wase urged the President to clearly define who qualifies as a VIP, recalling past security breaches, including instances where Boko Haram members infiltrated recruitment lists for the Army and Police. He emphasized the need for transparency and proper categorization to avoid compromising national security.
