Tinubu Orders Withdrawal of Police from VIP Protection, Reassigns Officers to Core Duties
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country, ordering their redeployment to mainstream policing functions to bolster national security.
The directive was issued on Sunday during a high-level security meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, with the heads of the armed forces, police, and intelligence agencies in attendance. The meeting was convened to review the nation’s current security landscape and strengthen frontline responses, particularly in underserved communities.
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Under the new policy, VIPs requiring armed escorts will now be mandated to source such protection from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), rather than the Nigeria Police Force. The move is aimed at freeing up significant manpower to address the acute shortage of police presence in many parts of the country, especially rural and remote areas where insecurity remains pervasive.
According to the Presidency, the reallocation of officers is part of a broader strategy to reposition the police for more effective public safety operations. President Tinubu has already approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police personnel, while the Federal Government works with state governments to upgrade police training facilities nationwide.
The Sunday security meeting was attended by 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.
