The Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Rafsanjani, has advised that President Bola Tinubu’s recent order to withdraw police protection for VIPs should be applied across the board and not selectively.
Speaking as a guest on Channels TV’s The Morning Brief Programme on Monday, the civil rights activist noted that withdrawing police personnel from guarding non-governmental VIPs would free up security forces to better protect communities.
“I hope that Mr. President’s directives will be fully implemented and not applied selectively. It is concerning when some individuals continue to have police escorts even to clubs and lounges, while many communities lack basic police presence. We need to address this imbalance,” Rafsanjani said.
He commended the President for the move, lamenting the misplaced priorities that see police personnel assigned to VIP protection while many areas remain vulnerable to attacks.
“Even individuals who are not government officials receive police protection, yet ungoverned spaces remain without law enforcement. This absence of security where it is most needed puts Nigerians at risk. When you commercialize and privatize the security sector for public safety, it becomes a problem,” Rafsanjani added.
He further highlighted the inefficiency of checkpoints, noting that despite heavy police presence on the roads, criminal activities persist as soon as vehicles move past each checkpoint.
“For me, there is an urgent need for comprehensive security sector reforms to address the challenges we are facing,” he concluded.
On Sunday, President Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police personnel from VIP security duties.
