IGP Withdraws Over 11,500 Police Officers from VIP Protection, Redirects Them to Core Policing Nationwide

The Nigeria Police Force has commenced the withdrawal of 11,566 officers assigned to VIP protection duty across the country, following a directive from President Bola Tinubu. The move aims to redeploy these personnel back to frontline policing to strengthen security in vulnerable communities and underserved areas.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, confirmed this nationwide recall, underscoring that the directive is to enhance operational efficiency and community safety.

This significant reshuffling aligns with the government’s broader strategy to optimise police resources by focusing officers on their core mandate of maintaining public order and combating crime.

As a result, VIPs requiring personal security will now have to request protection from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which will take over VIP guard duties.

The directive was issued amid a high-level security meeting at the State House in Abuja, attended by top service chiefs and security officials. In the meeting, President Tinubu emphasised the critical need to bolster police presence nationwide, especially in rural and high-risk communities where police stations suffer from understaffing.

The redeployment is part of this comprehensive reform effort, which also includes plans to recruit an additional 30,000 police officers and upgrade training facilities across the country.

Transitioning police officers from VIP protection to direct community engagement is expected to improve response times, enhance intelligence gathering, and restore public trust in the police force.

The Special Protection Unit (SPU) and Mobile Police Squadrons have been instructed to ensure all withdrawn personnel are fully redeployed without gaps in critical infrastructure security such as oil installations and financial institutions.