- Presidential Order on Police Withdrawal Does Not Apply to Judges – CJN
- Taraba Chief Judge raises alarm over alleged withdrawal of orderlies
- Police deny claim, say only non essential escorts affected
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun, has clarified that the recent presidential directive ordering the withdrawal of police officers attached to Very Important Personalities nationwide does not apply to judicial officers.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the clarification was conveyed through her media aide, Tobi Soniyi, who said judges remain exempt from the police redeployment policy aimed at addressing rising insecurity by strengthening frontline policing.
The clarification followed concerns raised by the Chief Judge of Taraba State, Justice Joel Agya, who on Tuesday alleged that police orderlies attached to judges in the state had been withdrawn without notice.
Justice Agya warned that the action posed serious security risks to judicial officers, particularly those handling sensitive criminal, political, terrorism, and corruption related cases.
He said, “Firstly, it is a threat to judges’ security and personal safety. Secondly, it undermines judicial independence. Judicial independence is not only the absence of interference but also protection from intimidation.”
Agya added that the withdrawal contradicted an earlier understanding that judges and governors would be exempted from the directive due to the nature of their official responsibilities and security needs.
Responding to the allegation, the Commissioner of Police in Taraba State, Betty Isokpan, denied that police orderlies had been withdrawn from judges in the state.
She explained that the directive only affected personal police escorts and guards assigned to accompany VIPs on non essential movements outside their duty locations.
Isokpan said, “Every court is expected to have a court duty police officer who stays during proceedings. We have only withdrawn police escorts who accompany VIPs to places like Sokoto, Lagos, and Kaduna, in compliance with the Inspector General’s directive.”
Meanwhile, Soniyi said the CJN’s office had not received any formal complaint regarding the withdrawal of police from judges, noting that no other chief judge across the country had reported a similar situation.
“Other chief judges have not said so,” he stated, expressing surprise at the development in Taraba State.
The federal government’s directive forms part of broader efforts to address police manpower shortages and improve security operations in high crime areas nationwide.
