A former media aide to ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, has submitted that the directive from President Bola Tinubu on the withdrawal of Police protection from Very Important Persons (VIPs) would take some time to be fully implemented.
He agreed that the directive is a step in the right direction, but noted that it cannot be implemented swiftly.
According to Akande, who spoke during Thursday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, after speaking to some security experts on the directive, he came to the conclusion that implementation would have to be done gradually.
“Clearly, the presidential directive to withdraw police from VIPs and VVIPs, I imagine, is in progress. Practically, it will have to take a little while for it to be completely implemented.
“I’ve spoken to quite a few security experts, including current police officers. I don’t think it’s something that you can do so swiftly, according to them,” he said.
Naijaonpoint recalls that President Tinubu had a few weeks ago ordered the withdrawal of police escorts from VIPs and the redeployment of the same to core Police duties.
The presidential directive comes as part of efforts to curb escalating insecurity across the country.
The directive was emphasized again during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held on Wednesday at the State House in Abuja, with the President reiterating that there is no going back.
Akande noted that the directive can’t be given blanket implementation, and the transition would also take some time.
He said, “Well, because there are also specific instances where people were given, for instance, police protection because they are exposed to threats or had documented circumstances.
“Some of them are even foreign investors, people doing business, who consider having that kind of protection as part of the incentives. So it’s fairly complicated.
“I think the President is right that police should be more focused on securing the community. But we may need a little bit more of a transition, because even when you withdraw— and I’ve been speaking with some of them— even when you withdraw those, I think the IGP said about 12,000.
“Are they ready? Are they immediately ready to be deployed? Do they have the motivation? Do they have the equipment? Are they even trained?”
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