The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive to withdraw approximately 100,000 police officers from VIP protection, labeling it “political grandstanding” that fails to address the complex nature of the security crisis in the country.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party argued that resorting to the “same old move” shows the lack of a genuine, holistic strategy for combating terrorism, banditry, and mass abductions by the Federal Government.
While the directive makes for good headlines, it is not new and demonstrates the government’s lack of understanding of the true nature and complexity of Nigeria’s worsening security crisis – Mallam Bolaji
President Tinubu’s directive mandates the withdrawal of police personnel from politically exposed persons and their redeployment to core policing duties, including counter-insurgency operations. The vacated positions are to be filled by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). This move was lauded by many Nigerians as a necessary step to address police manpower deficits.
The ADC views this move as ‘cosmetic’ and a repeat of similar, unexecuted orders given by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) in the past.
The party stressed that the withdrawn police officers are ill-suited and ill-equipped by training and mentality for the sophisticated task of counter-insurgency, unlike military personnel;
Even our military are finding it difficult to cope with the sophistication and adaptability of the insurgents, not to talk of police men who are ill equipped, ill trained and ill motivated for the complex task of counter-insurgency
The ADC also questioned the wisdom of replacing the police with the NSCDC, whose primary mandate is focused on disaster risk reduction and management and community safety, not VIP protection.
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