By Amofokhai Williams
President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to guard Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country, ordering that they be redeployed to their primary policing responsibilities amid rising security concerns nationwide.
The directive was issued on Sunday during a high-level security meeting at the Presidential Villa 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 Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
Under the new order, VIPs requiring personal security will now obtain armed protection from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), not the Nigeria Police Force.
The move signals a major shift in Nigeria’s long-standing VIP protection culture, in which thousands of police personnel are deployed to individuals rather than community policing duties.
The Presidency said the decision was informed by the acute shortage of police officers in many communities, particularly in rural and remote areas, leaving stations understaffed and residents vulnerable to rising insecurity.
Redeploying officers from VIP details, officials say, is expected to boost police presence across the country and improve response capability.
“In view of the current security challenges facing the nation, President Tinubu is desirous of boosting police presence in all communities,” a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, noted.
As part of broader reforms, President Tinubu has also approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police personnel, with the federal government working with state authorities to upgrade police training facilities nationwide.
Sunday’s meeting forms part of the administration’s intensified security review following recent rescue operations in Kwara and Niger States, and signals a push toward restructuring security deployment to prioritise public safety over personal protection for the elite.
The directive is expected to take immediate effect as police authorities begin reassignment plans for affected officers.
