President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that police officers assigned as security details to Very Important Persons (VIPs) be withdrawn and redeployed to regular policing duties across the country.
The order was announced in a statement by presidential aide Bayo Onanuga following a security meeting held on Sunday, November 23, in Abuja. The meeting was attended by top security chiefs, including the Inspector General of Police, service chiefs, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services.
According to the directive, individuals seeking government-backed security protection will now rely on officers from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who are to serve as replacements for VIP escorts.
The presidency explained that many rural and remote communities lack adequate police presence, worsened by the number of officers attached to private individuals. The redeployment is expected to increase security personnel available to protect citizens nationwide.
President Tinubu has also approved the recruitment of 30,000 new police officers, alongside plans to upgrade police training facilities through collaboration with state governments.
