Senator Abdul Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central, has raised objections after the police withdrew his orderly.
President Bola Tinubu had, on November 23, directed that police officers assigned to VIPs across the country be recalled immediately.
Speaking during Wednesday’s plenary, Ningi said his own police orderly was removed, yet many other officials and private individuals still had full security protection.
He argued that if orderlies are being withdrawn, the rule should apply to everyone.
Ningi cited the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act and other legal precedents, insisting the process must be uniform.
He said, “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 ministers and they were carrying lots of security personnel.
“I have also seen business people, Chinese and other business concerns, yesterday, with their compliments of orderlies.
“I have also seen daughters and sons of political office holders having orderlies and having security covers.
“I have seen singers having orderlies and complimentary of protection.
“I cannot ever imagine that a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who has been here for a very long time, only one orderly, and he’s withdrawn, and nothing will happen.”
Ningi urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio to instruct the police affairs committee to look into the situation, saying the national assembly should not be singled out while others continue enjoying the same privileges.
“You cannot just put national assembly as a scapegoat and others enjoy the privileges of security control,” he added.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, responded that the issue was already discussed at a leadership meeting on Tuesday and would be handled officially.
He said the senate expects feedback soon on why orderlies assigned to senators were withdrawn, noting that the president’s directive was meant to strengthen internal security and should not be selectively applied.
Barau also said the leadership had agreed that steps should be taken to restore Ningi’s police orderly, adding that they believe the president will act once the situation is clarified.
“We expect the outcome of that action to be available to us today in respect of the police orderlies that were withdrawn from the senate,” Barau said.
“It is of concern to us. We are dealing with that in the formal line.
“The chairman of the police affairs committee should take up this matter, conduct a proper investigation, and let us know why is the directive of Mr. President being flouted.
“The directive of Mr. President has been flouted. It was made in good faith to strengthen our police force to deal with our internal security issues.
“The leadership agreed that the course of action should be undertaken in order to restore your police orderly to you.
“I’m sure we have a listening president. We all stand by Mr. President in his effort to deal with the security problem in our country. The matter has been addressed.”
KanyiDaily recalls that a violent incident in Adamawa recently left seven women dead after soldiers escorting Brigadier General Amechi Agwu of the 23 Brigade in Yola allegedly opened fire on a crowd of protesters in Lamurde.
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