The Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the withdrawal of police officers attached to Very Important Persons across Nigeria.
The directive, announced after a strategic security meeting in Abuja, aims to return more officers to core policing duties across the country.
This VIP police withdrawal directive has already generated wide public attention, especially as many communities continue to face rising security concerns.
According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President believes the shift is needed to strengthen police presence in underserved communities.
“Many parts of Nigeria, especially remote areas, have few policemen at the stations, thus making the task of protecting and defending the people difficult,” Onanuga said.
He added that “in view of the current security challenges facing the country, President Tinubu is desirous of boosting police presence in all communities.”
Moreover, the new directive will replace police escorts for VIPs with operatives from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, ensuring that policing resources are redirected to public security needs.
The decision was made during a high-level meeting attended by key service chiefs, including 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 the Director-General of the DSS, Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
Onanuga also revealed that the President has approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers.
Furthermore, the Federal Government is partnering with state governments to upgrade police training facilities.
The VIP police withdrawal directive comes after several reports highlighted the imbalance in officer deployment.
Over 100,000 police personnel have been assigned to politicians, business executives, and other influential individuals.
Meanwhile, many police divisions, especially in rural areas, continue to struggle with understaffing and delayed response times.
