IG restores Tambuwal’s police escorts

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, now has full security protection provided by the police and the Department of State Service protection.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, following last Wednesday’s deployment of DSS operatives to guard the Speaker, has also restored Tambuwal’s police escorts.

Tambuwal’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Imam Imam, in a statement on Wednesday, confirmed the restoration of his principal’s security aides.

The statement thanked all Nigerians and groups that showed concern over the withdrawal of the Speaker’s police escorts and DSS operatives.

Part of the statement read, “The policemen attached to the Speaker resumed duties few days after men of the Department of State Service returned to their duty posts.

The police and the DSS had six months ago, precisely on October 28, 2014, withdrawn their men from Tambuwal following the Speaker’s defection to the All Progressives Congress from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

Tambuwal, who later emerged as the APC’s governorship candidate in Sokoto State, remained without official security protection until the latest turn of events. Although, he had challenged the action of the police in court, the matter is still pending.

It is still unclear what informed the U-turn made by the police and the DSS just days to the March 28 poll. In the absence of police protection, the Speaker was often seen moving around the country in company with his personal aides and some lawmakers.

At his residences, men of the National Sergeant-at-Arms and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps provided security.

...Punch