Panic has hit the National Assembly as former Deputy Speaker Idris Wase gave a shocking warning on Wednesday, saying bandits are now threatening to kidnap lawmakers.
Speaking during a heated security debate in the House of Representatives, Wase urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately rethink his across-the-board directive withdrawing police protection from Very Important Personalities (VIPs).
Tinubu had ordered the recall of police officers guarding VIPs during a high-level security meeting with Service Chiefs and the DSS boss on Sunday.
The President insisted the officers must return to their primary duty stations, prompting the Special Protection Unit to pull all police operatives attached to VIPs nationwide.
Under the new policy, VIPs seeking armed escorts must now rely on the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) instead of the police, a move the Presidency says will boost police presence in vulnerable communities.
But Wase isn’t convinced. He demanded the President clearly define who qualifies as a VIP, warning that the nation cannot afford careless gaps in security, especially at a time when terrorists once slipped into recruitment lists for both the Army and Police.
With bandits now issuing threats, Wase says lawmakers are exposed and, the policy, in its current form, could make things far worse.
