The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has clarified that the recent federal directive ordering the withdrawal of police personnel attached to Very Important Personalities (VIPs) across the country does not apply to judicial officers.
The clarification was conveyed by the CJN’s media aide, Mr. Tobi Soniyi, following concerns raised over the security of judges after reports emerged that police orderlies attached to some judicial officers had been withdrawn.
According to the CJN’s office, judges remain expressly exempt from the nationwide police redeployment exercise, which was initiated by the Federal Government and the Inspector-General of Police to strengthen security presence in high-risk and frontline areas amid rising insecurity.
The issue gained prominence after the Chief Judge of Taraba State, Justice Joel Agya, raised an alarm earlier in the week, alleging that police orderlies attached to judges in the state had been withdrawn without prior notice.
Justice Agya warned that such action posed grave risks to judicial officers, particularly those presiding over sensitive criminal, political, terrorism, and corruption-related cases.
“Firstly, it is a threat to judges’ security and personal safety. Secondly, it undermines judicial independence,” Justice Agya said. “Judicial independence is not only about freedom from interference but also protection from intimidation.”
He further noted that the withdrawal was contrary to an earlier understanding that judges and governors would be excluded from the directive due to the nature of their constitutional responsibilities and security exposure.
Responding to the concerns, the Commissioner of Police in Taraba State, CP Betty Isokpan, denied that police protection had been withdrawn from judges.
She explained that the directive only affected police escorts assigned to accompany VIPs on non-essential movements and travels, not court-based or official security arrangements.
“Every court is expected to have a duty police officer present during proceedings,” Isokpan stated. “What has been withdrawn are personal escorts who accompany VIPs on trips to places like Lagos, Sokoto, or Kaduna, in line with the Inspector-General’s directive.”
Providing further clarification, the CJN’s spokesperson said no other Chief Judge across the federation had reported a similar situation, adding that the Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria had not received any formal complaint regarding the withdrawal of police personnel from judges.
“Other Chief Judges have not said so,” Soniyi noted, expressing surprise at the development reported in Taraba State.
The federal directive to withdraw police officers from VIP protection is part of broader efforts by the government to address manpower shortages within the Nigeria Police Force and to redeploy officers to combat crime and insecurity nationwide.
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