Ali Ndume, the Senate Chief Whip, has told the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to remove police orderlies from lawmakers in the National Assembly and politicians nationwide.
This request was made during an interview on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” program on Wednesday.
Ndume’s suggestion highlights a growing concern about the use of police officers as personal security for elected officials and political figures. This practice has been criticized for its impact on national security and resource allocation.
The call to withdraw these orderlies comes at a time when the country is dealing with various security challenges such as insurgency, banditry, and communal clashes. This raises 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.”
Ndume stated that Nigeria, with approximately 300,000 policemen, does not have enough to effectively police the country. He suggested that orderlies of Very Important Personalities should be removed in order to better protect the people.
He said, “Let’s have like 2 million police, 500K soldiers.”
He called on President Bola Tinubu to provide security agencies with unlimited resources, including funding and weapons, to combat issues such as banditry, kidnapping, and insurgency.
Ndume emphasized the need for the President to authorize the police force to expand their manpower to two million officers and the military to 500,000.
Although he represents Borno South Senatorial District, Ndume stated that he would not support the idea of state police during the constitution amendment process, as he believes it could be misused by governors.
