Was Ondo Governor’s Security Compromised? Protocol Chiefs Accused of Swapping Convoy Drivers Without Clearance Amid Rising Safety Fears
A serious security controversy has emerged within the Ondo State Government following allegations that top protocol officials authorized a change of drivers in the governor’s convoy without security clearance, a move insiders describe as a dangerous breach of established procedure. The incident has reportedly heightened tension inside Government House and raised concerns about vulnerabilities in the governor’s protective arrangements.
According to multiple security sources, the Chief of Protocol (CoP), Mr. Olasanya Abayomi, and the Director of Protocol (DoP), Barr. Asonja George, allegedly ordered the replacement of convoy drivers without informing the Chief Security Officer (CSO) or the Aide-de-Camp (ADC)—the two officers legally responsible for coordinating the governor’s personal security.
Security experts within the government described the action as a “grave breach of protocol,” stressing that no driver attached to the governor’s convoy should be changed without clearance from the CSO and ADC. One senior official told SaharaReporters that bypassing this chain of command constitutes a serious security violation, especially at a time of heightened national security concerns.
The development is said to have unsettled junior officers and deepened mistrust among senior officials, with insiders warning that internal lapses of this nature could weaken confidence in the state’s security architecture. Some officials expressed fears that overlapping authority between protocol and security units could create confusion and expose the governor to potential risks.
More troubling are allegations that the Chief of Protocol may be acting in concert with unnamed individuals to politically undermine the governor’s security structure. Although no concrete evidence has been made public, the claims have intensified calls for an independent investigation, with sources insisting that the governor’s safety must not be subjected to internal power struggles or administrative shortcuts.
Stakeholders are now urging the Ondo State Commissioner of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to urgently probe the incident, determine accountability, and restore confidence in the state’s protective operations. Civil society actors have also called for the two officials involved to step aside pending investigations, arguing that doing so would reassure the public and demonstrate institutional accountability.
However, the state government has pushed back against claims of a security breach. The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ebenezer Adeniyan, denied that the governor’s safety was compromised, confirming instead that the driver changes were part of a routine annual reshuffle. He explained that all drivers fall under the supervision of the Chief of Protocol and that similar reassignments also affected other units, including the media and ambulance services.
Despite this official explanation, security analysts argue that the episode highlights a deeper structural issue: the need for clear coordination between protocol and security departments. Experts warn that when protocol functions override established security procedures, it can create vulnerabilities that may be exploited.
As the controversy continues, one key question remains: Was the governor’s security genuinely compromised, or was this merely an administrative routine that was misinterpreted? The answer may depend on the outcome of any investigation and whether the state government moves to review and strengthen its internal security and protocol processes.
A serious security controversy has emerged within the Ondo State Government following allegations that top protocol officials authorized a change of drivers in the governor’s convoy without security clearance, a move insiders describe as a dangerous breach of established procedure. The incident has reportedly heightened tension inside Government House and raised concerns about vulnerabilities in the governor’s protective arrangements.
According to multiple security sources, the Chief of Protocol (CoP), Mr. Olasanya Abayomi, and the Director of Protocol (DoP), Barr. Asonja George, allegedly ordered the replacement of convoy drivers without informing the Chief Security Officer (CSO) or the Aide-de-Camp (ADC)—the two officers legally responsible for coordinating the governor’s personal security.
Security experts within the government described the action as a “grave breach of protocol,” stressing that no driver attached to the governor’s convoy should be changed without clearance from the CSO and ADC. One senior official told SaharaReporters that bypassing this chain of command constitutes a serious security violation, especially at a time of heightened national security concerns.
The development is said to have unsettled junior officers and deepened mistrust among senior officials, with insiders warning that internal lapses of this nature could weaken confidence in the state’s security architecture. Some officials expressed fears that overlapping authority between protocol and security units could create confusion and expose the governor to potential risks.
More troubling are allegations that the Chief of Protocol may be acting in concert with unnamed individuals to politically undermine the governor’s security structure. Although no concrete evidence has been made public, the claims have intensified calls for an independent investigation, with sources insisting that the governor’s safety must not be subjected to internal power struggles or administrative shortcuts.
Stakeholders are now urging the Ondo State Commissioner of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to urgently probe the incident, determine accountability, and restore confidence in the state’s protective operations. Civil society actors have also called for the two officials involved to step aside pending investigations, arguing that doing so would reassure the public and demonstrate institutional accountability.
However, the state government has pushed back against claims of a security breach. The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ebenezer Adeniyan, denied that the governor’s safety was compromised, confirming instead that the driver changes were part of a routine annual reshuffle. He explained that all drivers fall under the supervision of the Chief of Protocol and that similar reassignments also affected other units, including the media and ambulance services.
Despite this official explanation, security analysts argue that the episode highlights a deeper structural issue: the need for clear coordination between protocol and security departments. Experts warn that when protocol functions override established security procedures, it can create vulnerabilities that may be exploited.
As the controversy continues, one key question remains: Was the governor’s security genuinely compromised, or was this merely an administrative routine that was misinterpreted? The answer may depend on the outcome of any investigation and whether the state government moves to review and strengthen its internal security and protocol processes.
Was Ondo Governor’s Security Compromised? Protocol Chiefs Accused of Swapping Convoy Drivers Without Clearance Amid Rising Safety Fears
A serious security controversy has emerged within the Ondo State Government following allegations that top protocol officials authorized a change of drivers in the governor’s convoy without security clearance, a move insiders describe as a dangerous breach of established procedure. The incident has reportedly heightened tension inside Government House and raised concerns about vulnerabilities in the governor’s protective arrangements.
According to multiple security sources, the Chief of Protocol (CoP), Mr. Olasanya Abayomi, and the Director of Protocol (DoP), Barr. Asonja George, allegedly ordered the replacement of convoy drivers without informing the Chief Security Officer (CSO) or the Aide-de-Camp (ADC)—the two officers legally responsible for coordinating the governor’s personal security.
Security experts within the government described the action as a “grave breach of protocol,” stressing that no driver attached to the governor’s convoy should be changed without clearance from the CSO and ADC. One senior official told SaharaReporters that bypassing this chain of command constitutes a serious security violation, especially at a time of heightened national security concerns.
The development is said to have unsettled junior officers and deepened mistrust among senior officials, with insiders warning that internal lapses of this nature could weaken confidence in the state’s security architecture. Some officials expressed fears that overlapping authority between protocol and security units could create confusion and expose the governor to potential risks.
More troubling are allegations that the Chief of Protocol may be acting in concert with unnamed individuals to politically undermine the governor’s security structure. Although no concrete evidence has been made public, the claims have intensified calls for an independent investigation, with sources insisting that the governor’s safety must not be subjected to internal power struggles or administrative shortcuts.
Stakeholders are now urging the Ondo State Commissioner of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to urgently probe the incident, determine accountability, and restore confidence in the state’s protective operations. Civil society actors have also called for the two officials involved to step aside pending investigations, arguing that doing so would reassure the public and demonstrate institutional accountability.
However, the state government has pushed back against claims of a security breach. The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ebenezer Adeniyan, denied that the governor’s safety was compromised, confirming instead that the driver changes were part of a routine annual reshuffle. He explained that all drivers fall under the supervision of the Chief of Protocol and that similar reassignments also affected other units, including the media and ambulance services.
Despite this official explanation, security analysts argue that the episode highlights a deeper structural issue: the need for clear coordination between protocol and security departments. Experts warn that when protocol functions override established security procedures, it can create vulnerabilities that may be exploited.
As the controversy continues, one key question remains: Was the governor’s security genuinely compromised, or was this merely an administrative routine that was misinterpreted? The answer may depend on the outcome of any investigation and whether the state government moves to review and strengthen its internal security and protocol processes.
0 Comments
·0 Shares
·119 Views
