Nigeria, Dec. 15 -- Senator Abdul Ningi of Bauchi Central depicted a sorrowful figure last week on the floor of the upper chamber when he complained bitterly that his orderly had been withdrawn on the order of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He was amongst those politically exposed Nigerians, top business executives, musicians, and several others whom the Nigerian state provided police protection for, but have now been stripped ofthe privilege. In fact, the President's directive is now forcing those affected to look elsewhere for protection.

Raising the issue under ''matters of national concern'', Ningi, like a child whose toy has been snatched, told his colleagues that he woke up that fateful morning to be told that his only police orderly...