President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to protect Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country, ordering that they be redeployed to strengthen regular policing and internal security operations.
The directive was announced in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. According to the statement, the Nigerian Police Force will henceforth focus its personnel on core policing responsibilities, while VIPs requiring security escorts will be expected to source well-armed protection from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The decision followed a high-level security meeting held on Sunday in Abuja, attended by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
Onanuga noted that the President’s directive is informed by the critical shortage of police personnel in many parts of the country—especially rural and remote communities where police presence is minimal, leaving citizens vulnerable to insecurity.
“In view of the current security challenges, President Tinubu is determined to boost police presence in all communities nationwide,” the statement added.
To support this overhaul, President Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers, with the federal government partnering state governments to upgrade police training facilities across the country. The decision is expected to significantly expand frontline policing capacity and improve response to crime.
The redeployment of police officers from VIP duties marks one of the most decisive reforms of the Tinubu administration in addressing longstanding concerns about the imbalance between security personnel assigned to politicians and those available to protect the general population.
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