DSS Officers Push for Expanded VIP Escort Duties As Police Withdrawal Starts
Nigeria’s internal security architecture is facing renewed scrutiny following growing agitation within the Department of State Services (DSS) over the vacuum created by the withdrawal of police personnel from private and VIP escort assignments.
The development has ignited debates among security experts, policymakers and civil society groups about role overlap, institutional mandates and the future of personal protection for high-profile individuals.
In recent months, the Nigeria Police Force has intensified efforts to pull officers away from guarding politicians, business executives and other non-state actors, citing manpower shortages and the need to redeploy personnel to frontline crime prevention duties.
The move aligns with longstanding reforms aimed at returning the police to their core responsibility of public safety, rather than private protection for a privileged few.
However, the police decision has reportedly triggered internal discussions within the DSS, with some officers advocating for a broader role that would see the intelligence agency fill the escort gap left behind.
Proponents argue that the DSS already handles protective services for key government officials and possesses the training required for close protection assignments.
They believe expanding this role could ensure continuity of security for VIPs deemed strategically important.
Sources familiar with the matter suggest that the lobbying is not about routine protection for private citizens, but rather about extending escort duties to political office holders, senior bureaucrats and critical national assets previously covered by the police.
Advocates within the service reportedly frame the proposal as a temporary intervention necessitated by evolving security realities.
Yet, the push has raised concerns about mandate creep. Security analysts warn that expanding DSS escort functions could blur the lines between intelligence gathering and conventional policing, potentially weakening accountability.
The DSS is primarily tasked with internal intelligence, counter-terrorism and state security, while the police are constitutionally empowered to provide general law enforcement and protection services.
Civil rights groups have also weighed in, cautioning that reallocating escort roles without a clear legal framework could deepen perceptions of unequal access to state security.
They argue that Nigeria should focus on strengthening community policing and regulated private security companies, rather than shifting responsibilities between state agencies.
Within government circles, the issue is said to be under review, with emphasis on inter-agency coordination and adherence to existing laws.
Officials stress that any change to escort responsibilities must be backed by policy clarity to avoid rivalry and operational confusion.
