President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to protect Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by Presidential Spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the President instructed that police personnel currently attached to VIPs be redeployed to their primary policing responsibilities nationwide.
Henceforth, VIPs requiring security escorts are expected to obtain well-armed protection from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The directive was issued during a high-level security meeting held in Abuja with service chiefs, including the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
The statement noted that many remote communities across Nigeria suffer from inadequate police presence, leaving citizens vulnerable. It added, aims to address these gaps by increasing the number of officers engaged in core policing duties.
As part of broader measures to strengthen internal security, the President has already approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers. The federal government is also working with state governments to upgrade police training facilities nationwide.
