President Bola Tinubu has directed the withdrawal of police officers currently assigned to protect Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country, mandating that they refocus on core policing duties.
A statement issued by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said the decision follows a security meeting held on Sunday in Abuja with service chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Under the new directive, VIPs who require police protection will now request well-armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), while police officers are redeployed to bolster security in communities nationwide.
“Many parts of Nigeria, especially remote areas, have too few policemen at stations, making the protection of citizens challenging. In view of current security challenges, President Tinubu seeks to increase police presence in all communities,” the statement said.
The president also approved the recruitment of an additional 30,000 police officers and announced collaborations with state governments to upgrade police training facilities across the country.
Attendees at the meeting included Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, and DSS Director-General Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
