The Senate yesterday raised alarm over what some senators described as selective implementation of President Bola Tinubu’s order on withdrawal of police orderlies from Very Important Persons, VIPs, to complement efforts to tackle the high level insecurity in the country.
The senators complained that while their orderlies had been withdrawn, several VIPs still enjoyed the services of police orderlies.
Their complaint came on a day President Tinubu ordered total compliance with his earlier directive withdrawing all policemen attached to Very Important Personalities, VIPs, across the country.
The President also directed the Minister of Interior, Inspector-General of Police, IGP, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, to ensure immediate replacement of police officers on special security duties not to leave people exposed.
Angered over the selective the enforcement, even when the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, vowed to arrest any officer found with a VIP in violation of the directive, the senators are demanding that it be done across board in the spirit of fairness and equity.
While alleging that sons and daughters of political office-holders still have police orderlies and enjoy security cover, the senators sought exemption from the enforcement to avoid being used as scapegoats.
The complaints expressed about the implementation in Senate yesterday came on the strength of a motion raised by Senator Abdul Ningi.
Senator Ningi, who moved the motion through a point of order, informed the Senate that the only police orderly he had was withdrawn in the early hours of yesterday, while some other VIPs in the country are still enjoying the privilege.
Ningi, who demanded that enforcement should be done across board in the spirit of fairness and equity, said: “It should be done across the board. Let’s see what happens from the office of the President, to the Vice President, to the Senate President, to the Speaker of the House, to the ministers.
“I saw two convoys of ministers and they were carrying lots of security personnel. Mr. President, I have also seen business concerns, Chinese and other business concerns with their complements of orderlies.
“Mr. President, I have also seen daughters and sons of political office-holders having orderlies and having security covers.
