Rivers State Former Senator, Magnus Abe, has kicked against the public announcement of the withdrawal of police officers attached to the country's Very Important Persons (VIPs), saying it exposes them to "unnecessary security risks."

Magnus, who was one of those affected, said it was unnecessary for the police chief to make the withdrawal public since the posting of the officers to these persons was not made public.

During his appearance on ARISE News on Tuesday, November 10, the former lawmaker said: “What I am not pleased about is the whole point of making the withdrawal of security from anybody public. When these men were posted to us it was not public, so their withdrawal should have been done privately because when you announce that security details are being withdrawn from certain people, you are exposing those persons to unnecessary security risks."

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, had on Sunday ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to some prominent Nigerians and organisations.

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The affected individuals include serving and former lawmakers, former ministers, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), popular business personalities and others.

The serving lawmakers include Nicholas Mutu and Shina Peller; former lawmakers affected include Lado Yakubu and Boroface Ajayi; Babachir Lawal,a former SGF is also affected while ex-ministers affected include Femi Fani-Kayode and Bashir Yuguda.

The personalities and organisations listed include The Christ Embassy, Think Nigeria First Initiative, Uche Sylva International, Stanel Groups and KYC Holding.

Other persons on the list include; former Senator Lado Yakubu, Ambassador Yuguda Bashir, Uche Chukwu, Boroface Ajayi, Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Edozie Madu, David Adesanya, Chris Giwa, Godwin Ekpo and Pius Akinyelure.

See full list of the affected persons HERE

Abe however said the police boss has the right to post his men wherever he thinks they will best serve the interest of the Nigerian people.

“The Inspector-general of Police as the leader of the Nigerian police force in this country has the right to post his men wherever he thinks they will best serve the interest of the Nigerian people.

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“Maybe the police have looked at some of our own security needs and they feel that the general interest of the country is better served by redeploying their men in other places,” Abe said.

Senator Abe said he doesn’t believe the move by the country’s police boss was politically motivated. He said, “the police are not outside political interference sometimes, but I know that the police have the capacity to resist that inference when the lives of Nigerians are involved.”