Tinubu Orders Withdrawal of Police Officers from VIP Security Duties
President Bola Tinubu has directed that police officers currently assigned to protect Very Important Persons (VIPs) be withdrawn and redeployed to core police functions.
The order came out of a high-level security meeting in Abuja that included service chiefs and the Director-General of the DSS, according to a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu’s concern, the statement said, is that many parts of Nigeria — particularly remote areas — lack sufficient policing, and he wants those officers reassigned to strengthen frontline security.
To support this policy shift, Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers, and the federal government is working with states to upgrade police training facilities nationwide.
The statement also clarified that VIPs who still want personal protection can now request well-armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) instead of the police.
The move builds on earlier reforms: in April 2025, Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun ordered the immediate withdrawal of Police Mobile Force (PMF) officers from VIP escort and guard duties.
He argued that the PMF should return to its primary role as an elite tactical unit for rapid response to riots, emergencies, and violent threats. Egbetokun’s directive includes ethics and professionalism training, and requires PMF commanders to maintain fully equipped, combat-ready units and be accountable for their personnel.
Analysts say Tinubu’s order is symbolic of a broader institutional reform — an effort to reduce policing tied to elite protection and reallocate manpower to boost public security. But the real test will be in implementation: redeploying officers effectively, ensuring new recruits are well-trained, and maintaining oversight will be critical for success.
