The Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Rafsanjani, has urged the Federal Government to ensure that President Bola Tinubu’s directive withdrawing police personnel from VIP protection duties is implemented fully and without favoritism.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, the civil rights advocate said the decision, if applied consistently, would free up much-needed security manpower to protect underserved communities across the country.
“I hope that Mr. President’s directive will be fully implemented and not applied selectively,” Rafsanjani stated. “It is disturbing to see some individuals still move around with police escorts—even to clubs and lounges—while many communities do not have basic police presence. We must address this imbalance.”
He applauded the President’s action but criticized what he described as longstanding misplaced priorities in Nigeria’s security architecture, where police officers are routinely assigned to private individuals rather than public safety.
“People who are not government officials receive police protection, yet ungoverned spaces have no law enforcement at all,” he said. “This commercialisation and privatisation of public security puts Nigerians at greater risk.”
Rafsanjani also questioned the usefulness of police checkpoints, arguing that they have not significantly deterred crime.
“Despite numerous checkpoints, criminal activities continue the moment vehicles pass them. This shows the need for deeper structural reforms,” he added.
He called for comprehensive security sector reforms to address the systemic challenges fueling insecurity.
President Tinubu on Sunday ordered the withdrawal of police personnel from VIP security duties as part of efforts to improve national security deployment.
