President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to provide security for Very Important Persons (VIPs), ordering that they be redeployed to core policing duties across the country.
The directive was issued during a high-level security meeting held on Sunday in Abuja, attended by the heads of the nation’s security agencies, including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
Under the new arrangement, VIPs requiring security protection are to source such services from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), whose operatives will be specially trained and equipped for the task.
The decision comes amid growing concerns over inadequate police presence in many communities, particularly in remote areas where police stations are either understaffed or absent, leaving residents vulnerable to insecurity.
President Tinubu, who has repeatedly emphasized the need to strengthen grassroots security, said the measure is part of broader efforts to reposition the Nigeria Police Force for more effective national security operations. He has already approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police personnel, while the Federal Government is working with state governments to upgrade police training facilities nationwide.
The president expressed confidence that the redeployment of officers and the expansion of the police workforce will significantly improve law enforcement visibility and enhance the protection of citizens across the country.
