President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the withdrawal of police officers assigned to Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the nation, stating that they be redeployed to strengthen core policing functions. The directive, issued during a high-level security meeting held on Sunday at the State House, Abuja, underscores the administration’s resolve to bolster police presence in communities amid escalating security threats.
According to the President’s instructions, VIPs who still require security escorts will now rely on well-armed operatives from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), allowing the Nigeria Police Force to refocus on crime prevention, law enforcement, and rapid-response duties.
The decision follows years of public concern over the heavy deployment of police personnel to private individuals, politicians, businessmen, and other privileged persons, leaving many towns and villages grossly understaffed.
In several remote communities, police stations operate with limited manpower, making it difficult to effectively protect citizens from bandit attacks, kidnappings, and other violent crimes. President Tinubu, acknowledging these gaps, is pushing for a significant rebalancing of police resources.
“Many parts of Nigeria, especially remote areas, have few policemen at the stations, thus making the task of protecting and defending the people difficult,” the statement reads, noting that Tinubu wants officers “to concentrate on their core police duties”.
In line with this, Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers nationwide. The Federal Government is also partnering with state governments to upgrade police training facilities and enhance the capabilities of new and existing officers.
Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, explained that the Chief of Army Staff attended Sunday’s security meeting, Lt. General Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
The President’s directive is expected to take immediate effect, with security agencies now working out modalities to ensure a smooth transition, including the reassignment of personnel and the strengthening of the NSCDC VIP protection unit
Officials say the measure is a shift in Nigeria’s security management philosophy, placing community safety and frontline policing at the centre of the national strategy.