Fatima Shuaibu, 20, Care Giver, Tudun Nupawa, Kaduna
Police should not be responsible for the safety of politicians. In other countries, special agencies are created for the sole aim of guarding politicians. In Nigeria the poor and the weak are exposed to insecurity and this I believe is as a result of lack of adequate policemen. Some politicians will use this advantage to demean the work of some police personnel since they believe they contribute to their salary. We have seen countless pictures online that show how the work of policemen has been reduced to menial jobs. We know certainly that the lives of our political leaders matter a lot, but the Nigerian Police Force should not be responsible for their safety, but rather, in safeguarding the lives and property of ordinary citizens. In this way they police will be better appreciated.
Hafsat Muhammad Bello, 19, Student, Kaduna
I believe the police have the responsibility to guard and protect the lives and property of every citizen of Nigeria, but I don’t believe they should serve as personal guards to politicians.
Isa Ismail, 23, Tailor, Gwagwalada, Abuja
Yes, the police should protect every important personality, VIPs such as top government officials due to the fact that they are meant to protect lives and property of citizens in the country. Also, in Nigeria the lives of top politicians may be threatened, either by assassination or kidnap. But our major concern is whether they are really carrying out their responsibilities of reducing crime and bringing offenders to justice, or they are used by those same politicians they guard to do otherwise? Because if a police officer is politicised, it will be a great threat to Nigeria’s democracy and nation building. A special force can be put in place to replace the police in providing security to politicians.
Stella Chinyere Itumo, 27, Student, Awka, Anambra
The police should guard politicians because without police security, their lives would be endangered in the society. Politicians are the envy of some people by virtue of their positions. But policemen should not be turned to errand boys for politicians. The politicians should not regard the policemen as their own personal property and shouldn’t overuse them in their service. They should understand that the first service of the police is to the state or country. The policeman should also know his limits in doing the biddings of the politicians. The policemen should know their proper official duty. I think a politician shouldn’t have more than three policemen attached to him.
Chukwudi Agbo, 42, Computer Engineer, Enugu
Considering the ratio of policemen in the society and the country’s population, one begins to wonder about the implication of having chains of policemen guarding politicians while millions of citizens are left unguarded.
For example, a politician in Enugu residing in Abuja probably has five policemen in his Abuja residence. In Enugu, he may have another five policemen. Then in the village, his hometown, he has another five policemen. Then at any point he wants to travel, the same person comes to Enugu with another 20 policemen when he already has five in Enugu and five in the village. We are not even talking about the policemen attached to the wife of the politician and his children in their various schools. In developed countries where we are copying our so-called democracy from, their politicians don’t move about with such number of policemen.
Daniel Ukwu, 53, Founder, Daniel Ukwu Leadership Foundation, Enugu
Policemen shouldn’t be guarding politicians. If a public officer is doing well, he will be loved and protected by the people he is serving. So let the people be their police security. But then I don’t think we have enough policemen compared to our huge population. And if they should attach more policemen to politicians, that may make the politicians become power drunk and begin to intimidate the ordinary citizens with their security men.
Also, because of the security personnel attached to them, the tendency to make harsh, anti-people laws is there. Politicians also have the tendency to use their security men to perpetuate impunity in the society rather than make good laws.
I believe it’s necessary to attach police officers to magistrates because of the nature of their office. But it should be on demand. Those whose offices demand police security should be given.
Hajara Yahaya, 25, Businesswoman, Millennium City, Kaduna
Policemen are government workers and should not be guarding any politician. Why does any politician need protection if they are truthful to the public?.It has gotten worse to the extent that some policemen even hold bags for female political appointees in public, which is totally not their duty.
Khadija Muhammad Sani, 21, Entrepreneur, Kaduna
It is really necessary for them to be guarded by the police, due to the risky nature of their jobs. They address different kinds of people and a large number of people, amongst which might be terrorists, paid thugs and so on.
Ndubuisi Chineme, 39, Fashion Designer, Enugu
It seems like the policemen are giving all their attention to politicians and not minding that the original aim of recruiting them into the police force was not to guard politicians but to protect lives and property of citizens. However, due to bad leadership and corruption, some policemen are no longer focusing on their main duty of protecting the millions of citizens.
It is not good to have policemen guarding politicians and government should do something about it. Government should withdraw some of these policemen guarding politicians so that the policemen can go back to their official duty posts, which is serving the country. One or two policemen are okay for one politician. Sadly, the average Nigerian politician believes that moving with many policemen is a status symbol. Having policemen attached to politicians is also a mark of respect, but it should not get into their heads such that they use their police security to intimidate and harass innocent citizens.
