CSOs Oppose Akpabio’s Call to Restore Police Escorts for Lawmakers

Senate President Godswill Akpabio speaking with President Tinubu after he presented the 2026 budget

Civil society organisations in Nigeria have criticised a call by Senate President Godswill Akpabio for the reinstatement of police security personnel assigned to members of the National Assembly and other senior public officials.
The criticism followed Mr Akpabio’s appeal to President Bola Tinubu to reconsider his recent directive withdrawing police operatives attached to Very Important Persons (VIPs). President Tinubu said the directive was aimed at redeploying officers to address broader security challenges across the country.
Mr Akpabio made the appeal during President Tinubu’s presentation of the 2026 budget at a joint sitting of the National Assembly in Abuja.
He warned that the withdrawal of police escorts had exposed federal lawmakers to security risks, adding that some legislators feared they might be unable to return safely to their constituencies.
“Some of the National Assembly members said I should let you know that they may not be able to go home today,” he said .
Mr Akpabio told the president while urging a review of the policy.
In response, a coalition of civil society groups operating under the banner of the Support for Civil Society Organisations Initiative rejected the request, describing it as a misplaced priority and inconsistent with democratic norms.
In a statement, the coalition said that in other democracies, legislators do not move around with large contingents of armed police officers while the general population remains exposed to insecurity.
The group’s leader, Chief ‘Aare’ Oluwasegun Oyedijo, said public office holders should not be shielded from the realities faced by ordinary citizens.
According to the coalition, leaders who perform their duties effectively should not fear the people they represent or rely on special security arrangements. It argued that public trust is earned through good governance and accountability, not through armed protection.
The group further stated that the withdrawal of police escorts could help narrow the widening gap between elected officials and their constituents by fostering closer interaction and more responsive representation. It criticised what it described as the excessive deployment of state security resources to protect politicians, noting that this practice has encouraged a culture of privilege and abuse of power.
The coalition also said the Nigeria Police Force should focus on protecting communities and ensuring public safety rather than serving as personal guards to political office holders.
“We are not calling for a breakdown of law and order,” “Leaders who serve well do not need to hide behind armed security. This step will strengthen democracy and compel the delivery of genuine dividends of governance.”the statement said.
President Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police officers attached to VIPs on 23 November, directing individuals who require armed protection to apply to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps instead. The government said the policy is part of wider efforts to improve national security amid rising crime rates and limited policing resources.
During the same session, Mr Akpabio commended President Tinubu’s economic reforms, stating that they were beginning to yield results despite the hardship faced by many Nigerians. He also assured the president of the National Assembly’s support for the reform agenda and the proposed 2026 budget.