President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to Very Important Persons across the country, a move the Presidency says is aimed at strengthening security in underserved communities.
The decision was announced in a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, who explained that police personnel currently assigned to VIP protection will be redeployed to core policing duties.
The directive followed a security meeting the President held on Sunday in Abuja with service chiefs, including the leadership of the police, army, air force and the Department of State Services.
According to the statement, VIPs who still require security backup will now be expected to seek well-armed escorts from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps instead of the police.
The Presidency underscored the urgency behind the shift, noting that several remote areas remain critically understaffed, leaving communities exposed.
The President, it said, wants more officers available for regular patrols and rapid response nationwide.
As part of the broader reforms, Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police personnel, with the federal government working with state authorities to upgrade training facilities across the country.
Those present at Sunday’s meeting included the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and Director-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Adeola Ajayi.