The All Progressives Congress (APC) Vice Chairman for the South-East, Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, has cautioned that the recent move to strip VIPs of police escorts may have unintended and dangerous consequences, particularly for public officials who already face elevated security risks.
Speaking with newsmen on Thursday, Arodiogbu revealed that his own aides had not been affected by the directive, but he insisted that the broader policy could expose high-profile individuals to new threats.
“My security aides were not withdrawn,” he clarified during the phone interview. “But lawmakers in both the House of Representatives and the Senate have already raised concerns because pulling police protection from VIPs could open another chapter of insecurity.”
According to him, politicians and other influential figures remain prime targets for criminal attacks, making the blanket withdrawal of escorts a risky decision.
“VIPs—especially political officeholders—are naturally more vulnerable,” he said. “I doubt the Inspector General of Police will fully carry out such an order. Any security incident involving a high-profile person quickly becomes national news for a reason.”
Arodiogbu, however, backed President Bola Tinubu’s broader reform push, noting that while some VIPs unquestionably require state-provided protection, others clearly do not.
He criticised situations where individuals with no known security exposure move around with large contingents of police officers.
“There must be a clear hierarchy of need,” he argued. “We shouldn’t see traders or businesspeople parading with 10 armed police escorts. Wealth alone shouldn’t qualify anyone for that level of protection.”
The APC chieftain also praised President Tinubu’s recent call for increased recruitment into the police and armed forces, describing it as a timely intervention amid Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.
“We appreciate the President’s commitment to bolstering the police and the military,” he said. “Expanding the number of personnel is essential if we’re going to confront the threats facing the country.”
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Arodiogbu concluded by emphasising that security resources must be allocated based on genuine vulnerability, not social status or financial influence.
“Protection should be reserved for those with real, identifiable risks—not individuals who simply enjoy moving around with a convoy,” he said.
