In a decisive move aimed at strengthening national security and restoring adequate police presence across communities, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers currently assigned as escorts to Very Important Persons (VIPs) in the country. The directive, issued during a high-level security meeting held on Sunday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, mandates that the withdrawn officers be redeployed to core policing functions nationwide.
According to the President, the growing security challenges in various parts of the country—particularly in remote and underserved areas—necessitate a strategic redistribution of available manpower. Many police divisions across Nigeria continue to struggle with limited personnel, a situation the President described as detrimental to the government’s efforts to protect citizens and maintain law and order.
Under the new arrangement, VIPs requiring armed protection will no longer rely on the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for personal security. Instead, they will be required to source such services from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which the President said is adequately positioned to provide elite protective services without undermining policing capacity at the grassroots level.
President Tinubu emphasised that the move is part of a broader restructuring of Nigeria’s internal security architecture and reflects his administration’s commitment to enhancing safety across all communities. To this end, the President has already approved the recruitment of 30,000 new police personnel, alongside plans to upgrade training facilities across the country in collaboration with state governments.
The security meeting was attended by key figures in Nigeria’s defence and intelligence community, including the Chief of Army Staff, 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 Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who released the statement, said the decision represents a significant step toward restoring confidence in Nigeria’s policing system and ensuring that the protection of citizens remains the government’s top priority.
