Senator Ali Ndume backs Tinubu’s order to withdraw police from VIPs

By Kunle Sanni –

Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South, has endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s directive ordering the withdrawal of police officers attached to very important persons (VIPs) nationwide.

The presidency announced on Sunday that all police personnel assigned to VIPs would be recalled and redeployed to frontline security operations. According to Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, the measure is part of a broader national security overhaul aimed at improving police efficiency amid escalating insecurity.

Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun later confirmed that 11,566 officers had already been withdrawn in compliance with the directive.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Ndume hailed the policy as one of Tinubu’s “most commendable decisions,” stressing that the implementation must be swift and visible.

The senator criticised the long-standing practice of assigning multiple officers to politicians and their families. He noted that some ministers even have police escorts for their spouses and children, a trend he described as excessive and unjustified.

“We should see it on the ground,” Ndume said. “I thought I would not see policemen at the National Assembly today, but I saw so many of them.”

Ndume disclosed that he had previously rejected the three officers assigned to him, insisting on having only an orderly if necessary. According to him, the primary role of such officers is oversight, not personal protection.

The lawmaker recounted visiting a colleague whose security detail included more than ten officers, despite the colleague being junior to him in the Senate. He said such bloated convoys often resemble the motorcades of the president or vice president.