Abuja — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to protect Very Important Persons (VIPs) across Nigeria, instructing that they be redeployed to “core policing duties” amid growing security challenges.
The decision was announced during a high-level security meeting in Abuja on Sunday, attended by service chiefs and security heads including the Inspector General of Police, Lt. Gen. Kayode Egbetokun, and the Director-General of the DSS.
Under the new policy, VIPs who require protection will no longer rely on regular police escorts. Instead, they will request “well-armed personnel” from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
President Tinubu also approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers, and directed that police training facilities nationwide be upgraded in partnership with state governments.
According to the presidency, the move is aimed at strengthening police presence in underserved communities, particularly in remote areas where manpower is currently limited.