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 core policing functions. The directive was issued during a high-level security meeting held on Sunday in Abuja with service chiefs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Under the new policy, VIPs seeking security escorts will now request armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The move comes as many remote communities continue to grapple with limited police presence, hindering effective protection and crime response.
The President emphasized the need to strengthen security nationwide, especially at the grassroots, where police numbers remain inadequate. In line with this objective, he has approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers, while the federal government works with states to upgrade police training facilities across the country.
Sunday’s meeting was attended by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and the DSS Director-General, Tosin Adeola Ajayi.