Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Friday, December 19, 2025, appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider the recent directive withdrawing police orderlies from members of the National Assembly, warning that some lawmakers fear they may be unable to return home safely without dedicated security escorts.
The plea came during the joint session of the National Assembly where President Tinubu was presenting the 2026 Appropriation Bill. Akpabio told lawmakers that several senators and members of the House had expressed deep concerns over their personal safety following the unexpected withdrawal of their police protection, urging the Executive to review the policy.
“As we direct the security agencies to withdraw policemen from critical areas, some of the National Assembly said I should let you know they may not be able to go home today,” Akpabio said, quoting the fears shared by lawmakers.
“On that note, we plead with Mr President for a review of the decision.”
The call for reconsideration follows a directive issued by President Tinubu on November 23, 2025, ordering the withdrawal of police officers attached to Very Important Persons (VIPs), including lawmakers, ministers, and other public officials. The directive is part of the federal government’s broader effort to reassign security personnel to frontline duties in communities grappling with rising insecurity, especially rampant kidnappings and banditry.
The Presidency, through Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, explained that the withdrawal was agreed upon at a high-level security meeting attended by service chiefs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS). According to the directive, officials who feel the need for protection are now to seek security support from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) rather than the police.
President Tinubu reaffirmed the policy again on December 10 during a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, acknowledging some implementation challenges but stressing that the policy should be effected fully. “I honestly believe in what I said… It should be effected,” Tinubu stated, while urging ministers and officials to liaise with the Inspector-General of Police and the Civil Defence to provide alternative protection where necessary.
Akpabio’s intervention underscores the tension the policy has generated within the legislature. Some lawmakers have described the implementation as inconsistent, arguing that while police orderlies have been withdrawn from some, others — including private individuals and non-state actors — continue to move with security personnel.
Senator Ningi, speaking on the floor, highlighted what he termed selective enforcement, noting that while his sole police orderly was pulled without notice, other public figures, and even entertainers, still maintain multiple security escorts. “I cannot imagine that a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria would have his only orderly withdrawn while others retain theirs,” he said, emphasising the frustration and perceived inequity felt by colleagues.
The lawmakers’ security concerns come against a backdrop of intensifying national debate on policing and security reform in Nigeria. The Tinubu administration has framed the withdrawal of police escorts as part of a strategy to strengthen community-level security and redeploy police officers to regions facing heightened threats. Some experts, however, have questioned whether the policy is feasible given corruption incentives and training gaps that may undermine compliance.
Meanwhile, other arms of government, including the National Assembly itself, have been calling on the Federal Government to strengthen security measures, including naming and prosecuting terrorism financiers and instituting structural reforms to tackle the country’s insecurity.
