Assistant Editor, Remi Adelowo, covered the typical convoy of a Nigerian official and reports on the officials that are entitled to use convoys in Nigeria.
DETERMINING the number of vehicles in the convoy of Nigerian leaders from the federal, state and local government levels largely depends on the function the government official is billed to attend, either within his domain or beyond.
Let’s start with the convoy of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In the era of former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, a former Aide-De-Camp to a former Military Governor during the era told The Nation under the condition of anonymity that Babangida’s convoy while on official duty outside Abuja, consisted of at least 60 vehicles. But within Abuja, the former president’s convoy of cars was put at between 20 to 30 vehicles.
Shedding further light on why the former president’s convoy outside Abuja is usually long, the retired Lt. Colonel of the Nigerian Army said, “Usually, there is an advance party of officials from the Presidency mainly comprising of protocol officials and security operatives on ground at least two days before the president’s arrival. Once the C-in-C arrives, this team of advanced party, the host governor and officials of the state government in addition to the large contingent of security agents, including army personnel and operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) are driven in a long convoy to wherever the President planned to visit. That accounts for why you see nothing less than 60 vehicles or even more in such convoys. This excludes the police dispatch riders who are no fewer than 10.”
The draconian days of late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, was no less different. As a result of the near-paranoid approach to the safety of the late leader by his security handlers, led by his Chief Security Officer (CSO), Maj. Hamza Mustapha and assisted by the Aide-De-Camp, Lt. Col. Abdallah, the convoy of vehicles in Abacha’s entourage is close to 30 vehicles, most of which are occupied by his stern looking bodyguards (BGs), members of the Strike Force (SF), SSS operatives and soldiers dressed in military camouflage.
The above painted scenario was also prevalent while Abacha’s successor, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, presided over the country’s affairs from June 8, 1998 to May 29, 1999.
Sometimes in December 1998, during an official visit by Abubakar’s deputy, late Vice Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe, to Lagos to inspect the National Stadium in Surulere, which was one of the centres used for the 1999 Under 20 World Cup, hosted by Nigeria, no less than 30vehicles were in the entourage of the former number two man and his host, then Colonel Buba Marwa.
Fast forward to the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo Presidency from 1999 to 2007. Sometime in 2006, The Nation’s reporter once witnessed the presidential convoy, which took off from the then President’s Ota Farm on its way to the Lagos Airport en route Abuja.
A conservative estimate of the number of vehicles in the entourage was in the region of 25, with most of it manned by security agents in dark suits.
Obasanjo’s late wife, Mrs. Stella Obasanjo, was not left out in the craze for long convoy common among most Nigerian leaders and their spouses.
Sometimes in 2004 during the wedding of one of the then Vice President, Atiku Abubakar’s daughters, Stella Obasanjo arrived the International Conference Centre, Abuja, venue of the reception in a convoy of 28vehicles, which included six Mercedes Benz S600, in addition with the full complement of six well-attired police outriders.
In the current dispensation under President Goodluck Jonathan, political office holders from the President down to the governors, ministers, and local government chairmen with the exception of just a few, seem to get a lot of kicks having scores of vehicles in their entourage.
Some months ago, during a private visit to Lagos for the launch of fund for the construction of his church located in his hometown, Otuoke in Bayelsa State, President Goodluck Jonathan arrived the Civic Centre, Victoria Island venue of the launch in a convoy of 30vehicles and three police outriders.
And in a You Tube video watched by The Nation’s reporters a few days ago, the President arrived at an unspecified public function held in Abuja in a large convoy of 47cars consisting of Peugeot 406 brands, Toyota Landcruiser SUVs and Mercedes S600 (Maybach). This excludes the six police outriders who normally signal the arrival of the President.
Perhaps to provide additional security cordon around the President, a detachment of policemen numbered about 20 rode on horses which formed a semi-circle around the President’s official vehicle.
State governors, ministers, not different
State governors and ministers in Nigeria are not left out in the love for long convoy of cars accompanying them either on private or official duties.
For instance, one of The Nation’s reporters sometime in 2008, sighted the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, leaving the Calabar Airport en route Uyo, his state capital in a convoy of over 20 state-of-the-art SUVs in addition to four police outriders on expensive BMW motorbikes.
While he ran Kwara State from 2003 to 2011, ex-Governor Bukola Saraki (now a senator), known to be a freak for vintage cars long before he emerged as governor, is also said to move in a large convoy of vehicles within his state.
But the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, is however acknowledged as an exception. The governor, as most Lagosians are aware, moves around without the blaring of siren in a convoy of at most six to seven cars.
For official events, particularly the inspection of government projects, the governor sometimes joins members of the State Executive Council in a 24-seater Toyota Coaster bus.
Federal ministers, The Nation gathered, have also imbibed the culture of moving around in siren-blaring convoy of almost ten vehicles either in Abuja, their official base, or during private or official visits to any state within the country.
During his stint as the Minister for Power, late Chief Bola Ige was once reported to have raised an eyebrow after taking a headcount of almost 21 vehicles in his entourage. Even at that, his protocol aides only managed to reduce the convoy vehicles to a ‘modest’ 11.
Officials entitled to convoy
In response to the abuse of using siren by some Nigerians, the Police authorities sometime ago issued a statement stating the list of government officials entitled to move around in siren blaring cars.
Though the directive has largely being obeyed in the breach, investigations revealed that no such pronouncement has been made in respect of government officials entitled to move in a convoy of cars and the number of vehicles that should accompany them.
However, it is not difficult to decipher the category of public officials who go around in siren blaring convoy.
They include the President, the Vice President, Chief of Staff to the President, Senate President; his deputy, Speaker of the House of Representatives and his deputy, Chief Justice of Nigeria, governors and their deputies, Speakers of states Houses of Assembly, their deputies and local government chairmen.
The list also include Principal Officers in the National Assembly, other lawmakers Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Ministers and Ministers of States.
In addition, service chiefs, comprising the Chief of Defense Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff, the Inspector General of Police, General Officers Commanding (GOCs) of Army Divisions and their counterparts in the Navy and Air Force, Brigade Commanders of strategic army formations, Deputy and Assistant Inspectors General of Police and Commissioners of Police in charge of state commands, Comptroller General of Customs, Immigrations, Prisons, top generals and their equivalents in paramilitary forces.
Also National Chairmen and leaders of major political parties, influential captains of industry, top clergymen are known to move from one location to another in long and flashy convoy of posh automobiles.
How government convoy vehicles are chosen
The Nation’s investigations revealed that the number of vehicles in the entourage of elected public officials, particularly the President and governors, are largely determined by their Chief Protocol Officers, who are also in charge of the itinerary of their principals.
The Chief of Protocol, it was learnt, also draws the list of officials (excluding security operatives) who accompany the President and governors on official and private trips.
For instance, besides the vehicle occupied by the President, other vehicles in an average presidential convoy include at least three spare Mercedes Benz S600 (in case the main vehicle unexpectedly breaks down on motion), a pilot Landcruiser SUV, back-up pilot cars mainly Peugeot 406 also occupied by SSS operatives, scores of SUVs filled with other security personnel, other vehicles equipped with security gadgets, to mention but a few.
The man who controls the convoy
The personnel in charge of Nigeria’s presidential escort codenamed (Prescort) are under the supervision of the Escort Commander, who is a Police officer not less than the rank of a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).
In case of the governors, the Escort Commander in the rank of an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) or a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) is in full control of the movement of the convoy. However, he reports to the Aide-De-Camp who oversees the entire security apparatus of the President or the governor. The ADC, as a matter of convention, usually sits at the back of the car right beside his boss.
Also prominent in such convoys are operatives of the Department of Security Service (DSS), who sources say report to the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the President or the governor.
How much control does a principal have?
A source told The Nation that control over the attitude of personnel in a convoy largely depends on the governor and his ADC.
The source cited an instance where the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola on assumption of office, gave a firm instruction that under no circumstance must his convoy exceed a maximum of 80 to 100km.
“But if the personnel in the convoy knows that their principal will not reprimand them for over speeding, they indulge in such dangerous practice without a care in the world,” said the source.
But The Nation however gathered that some governors, who are quite touchy about their safety, are usually blackmailed by their security details into believing that driving at slow speed on highways can be risky especially when the convoy comes under an attack.
