Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), to withdraw police orderlies from lawmakers in the National Assembly as well as from politicians across the country.
This request was made during an interview on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” program on Wednesday.
Ndume’s proposition points to a growing concern over the use of police personnel as private security for elected officials and political figures, a practice that has been scrutinized for its implications on national security and resource allocation.
The call for the withdrawal of these orderlies comes at a time when the country faces various security challenges, including insurgency, banditry, and communal clashes, raising questions about the prioritization of security services.
He said, “I support that they should take away all their police (officer).
“One Senator will be going around with 10 policemen, seven, members of House of Reps, everybody. That is for those who are mobile. Some even give security to their wives, others give security to their children. I am against that.”
According to Ndume, Nigeria, with about 300,000 policemen, does not have enough to police the country, hence, orderlies of Very Important Personalities should be withdrawn to protect the people.
He said, “Let’s have like 2 million police, 500K soldiers.”
He urged President Bola Tinubu to give security agencies a blank cheque, give them all they want in terms of funding and weapons to fight the menace of banditry, kidnapping and insurgency.
Ndume said the President should empower the police to increase their manpower to two million men and the military to 500,000.
The lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District, however, said he won’t vote for state police if it comes up in the constitution amendment process, adding that it would be abused by governors.
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