Sagay, Ali hail withdrawal of policemen from VIPs

* Ozekhome doubts implementation

Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), Prof. Itse Sagay and
Yusuf Ali, have hailed the decision of the Inspector-General of
Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to withdraw police officers attached
to Very Important Personalities (VIPs), political and public office
holders across the country.

According to them, the withdrawal will put an end to the
incessant abuse of such arrangement. But, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN)
said the policy will be difficult to implement. Speaking on the
issue, the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against
Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), while expressing his
support for the IGP’s action, however calls for caution in its
execution. According to him, the IGP should make a distinction
between those that genuinely desire police protection due to nature
of their work and others who only want to show-off because they are
wealthy.

He said: “I am aware that there has been some abuse of that
arrangement. However, the withdrawal cannot be wholesale, otherwise
it would be over-reacting. This is because there are people who
actually need police protection. These are individuals who are
actually working and making sacrifices for this country and, in the
process, endanger their lives.

“These people, in the course of their assignment, step on toes
and consequently make enemies with people in high places who have
the capacity to harm them. In such instances, the police have a
duty to protect such people. “What I am saying in essence is that
in carrying out the order, the police authorities should do a
caseby- case examination of the situation. They should distinguish
cases of someone just showing off with police protection because of
his or her wealth and those that genuinely desire police protection
because of the nature of their work.”

On his part, Ali threw his weight behind the IGP’s decision,
saying it will help in achieving proper policing of the citizens.
“At the moment, we don’t have the required policemen that can
adequately police the citizens. Sadly, in the midst of this
inadequacy, almost one-quarter of the total number of policemen in
the country are devoted to VIPs assignment.

I think it is better for the society to be appropriately policed
than for certain categories of individuals to be enjoying police
protection at the expense of the masses. “If the society is better
policed, there would be no need for certain individuals to be
making private arrangements for police protection,” the silk
said.

The President of Public Interest Lawyers League, Dr. Abdul
Mahmud, said the withdrawal is the most sensible thing to do,
considering the huge security challenges we are confronted with as
a country. However, Ozekhome said the policy will be frustrated.
His words: “He cannot do it. The elitist system in Nigeria will
frustrate it. We have heard that before, again and again. Every IGP
has made such lofty promises about withdrawing police officers from
VIPs, he said.”

* Ozekhome doubts implementation

Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), Prof. Itse Sagay and
Yusuf Ali, have hailed the decision of the Inspector-General of
Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to withdraw police officers attached
to Very Important Personalities (VIPs), political and public office
holders across the country.

According to them, the withdrawal will put an end to the
incessant abuse of such arrangement. But, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN)
said the policy will be difficult to implement. Speaking on the
issue, the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against
Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), while expressing his
support for the IGP’s action, however calls for caution in its
execution. According to him, the IGP should make a distinction
between those that genuinely desire police protection due to nature
of their work and others who only want to show-off because they are
wealthy.

He said: “I am aware that there has been some abuse of that
arrangement. However, the withdrawal cannot be wholesale, otherwise
it would be over-reacting. This is because there are people who
actually need police protection. These are individuals who are
actually working and making sacrifices for this country and, in the
process, endanger their lives.

“These people, in the course of their assignment, step on toes
and consequently make enemies with people in high places who have
the capacity to harm them. In such instances, the police have a
duty to protect such people. “What I am saying in essence is that
in carrying out the order, the police authorities should do a
caseby- case examination of the situation. They should distinguish
cases of someone just showing off with police protection because of
his or her wealth and those that genuinely desire police protection
because of the nature of their work.”

On his part, Ali threw his weight behind the IGP’s decision,
saying it will help in achieving proper policing of the citizens.
“At the moment, we don’t have the required policemen that can
adequately police the citizens. Sadly, in the midst of this
inadequacy, almost one-quarter of the total number of policemen in
the country are devoted to VIPs assignment.

I think it is better for the society to be appropriately policed
than for certain categories of individuals to be enjoying police
protection at the expense of the masses. “If the society is better
policed, there would be no need for certain individuals to be
making private arrangements for police protection,” the silk
said.

The President of Public Interest Lawyers League, Dr. Abdul
Mahmud, said the withdrawal is the most sensible thing to do,
considering the huge security challenges we are confronted with as
a country. However, Ozekhome said the policy will be frustrated.
His words: “He cannot do it. The elitist system in Nigeria will
frustrate it. We have heard that before, again and again. Every IGP
has made such lofty promises about withdrawing police officers from
VIPs, he said.”