CSOs oppose Akpabio’s call to restore police escorts for lawmakers
By Prosper Okoye
Civil society groups in Nigeria have criticised a call by Senate President Godswill Akpabio for the return of police security personnel to members of the National Assembly and other senior public officials.
The criticism followed Mr Akpabio’s appeal to President Bola Tinubu to review his recent directive withdrawing police operatives attached to Very Important Persons (VIPs). The president said the move was intended to redeploy officers to tackle wider security challenges across the country.
Speaking during President Tinubu’s presentation of the 2026 budget at a joint sitting of the National Assembly in Abuja, Mr Akpabio warned that the decision had exposed federal lawmakers to security risks. He said some legislators feared they might be unable to return safely to their constituencies following the withdrawal of their police escorts.
“Some of the National Assembly members said I should let you know that they may not be able to go home today,” Mr Akpabio told the president, while appealing for a review of the policy.
However, a coalition of civil society groups operating under the Support For Civil Society Organisations Initiative rejected the request, describing it as a misplaced priority and inconsistent with global democratic practice.
“In other democracies, legislators do not deploy large numbers of armed police officers while the wider population remains vulnerable to attacks,” the group said in a statement.
The group’s leader, Chief ‘Aare’ Oluwasegun Oyedijo, said public office holders should not be insulated from the realities faced by ordinary citizens.
According to the coalition, leaders who deliver on their mandates should not fear the people they represent or require special security arrangements. It argued that good governance and accountability, rather than armed protection, are what earn public trust.
The group said the withdrawal of police escorts could help reduce the growing gap between elected officials and their constituents, encouraging closer engagement and more effective representation. It also criticised what it described as the excessive use of state security resources to protect politicians, saying this had contributed to a culture of privilege and abuse of power.
The coalition added that the Nigeria Police Force should prioritise the protection of communities and public safety rather than serving as personal guards for political office holders.
“We are not calling for a breakdown of law and order,” the statement said. “Leaders who serve well do not need to hide behind armed security. This step will strengthen democracy and compel the delivery of real dividends of governance.”
President Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police officers attached to VIPs on 23 November, directing that those requiring armed protection should instead apply to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The government says the policy is part of broader efforts to improve national security amid rising crime and limited policing resources.
During the same session, Mr Akpabio praised President Tinubu’s economic reforms, saying they were beginning to yield results despite the hardship experienced by many Nigerians. He assured the president of the National Assembly’s support for the reform agenda and the proposed 2026 budget.
Herdsmen attack: Oghenesivbe commends Kokori youth, women over peaceful protest, donates N100,000 for victim’s medical care
Justice of the Peace (JP) and Director-General of the Delta State Bureau for Orientation and Communications, Dr. Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, Esq., has commended the youth and women of Kokori Inland in Ethiope East Local Government Area for their peaceful demonstration following the attempted murder of a farmer, Chief Dafe French Efeurhobo, allegedly attacked by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In a statement issued on Friday and made available to journalists, Dr. Oghenesivbe described the attack as “gruesome and regrettable” and announced a personal donation of N100,000 to assist with the medical treatment of the victim, a 40-year-old farmer, who is currently receiving medical care at an undisclosed hospital, calling on financially endowed individuals to donate generously towards the treatment.
He praised the restraint and maturity displayed by the Kokori youth and women during their peaceful protest to the local government council and police authorities, noting that their actions reflected a commitment to law and order despite provocation.
Dr. Oghenesivbe urged residents of Kokori community in Agbon Kingdom to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring them that the Delta State Government and Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, are fully aware of the incident and are working behind the scenes to ensure that those responsible are apprehended and prosecuted.
He further called on the Chairman of Ethiope East Local Government Council, Chief Augustine Ogedegbe, JP, to urgently convene a stakeholders’ meeting aimed at developing result-oriented strategies to strengthen internal security and flush out criminal elements from the community.
The Bureau Director-General emphasised the need for a community-based and intelligence-driven approach to security, advocating a review of existing strategies and the adoption of coded, multi-faceted intelligence-gathering methods to prevent future breaches. He stressed that such measures would promote peaceful coexistence and good neighbourliness between indigenous and non-indigenous residents.
Warning against continued attacks on law-abiding citizens, Dr. Oghenesivbe noted that persistent insecurity could provoke self-help with dire consequences. He therefore appealed to the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, and heads of other security agencies to intensify surveillance and intelligence operations in Kokori community and across the state.
“The attempted murder of a law-abiding farmer in Kokori community, as widely reported by the media, is highly regrettable,” he said.
“I commend the gallant youth of the community for embarking on a peaceful demonstration to register their displeasure with the council chairman and police authorities.
“I urge the council chairman, Chief Augustine Ogedegbe, JP, to summon an emergency stakeholders’ meeting to work out practical and effective strategies to rid Kokori and other communities in Ethiope East of criminal elements.
“I also call on the youth to remain calm but resolute in their pursuit of justice and improved security in the community,” Oghenesivbe added.
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