President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to VIP escort duties across the country, directing that they be redeployed to core policing roles. The decision, confirmed by the Presidency after a high-level security meeting in Abuja, marks a major shift in Nigeria’s security strategy and aims to address the chronic shortage of police presence in rural and underserved communities.
According to the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the directive seeks to ensure that police resources are used for public safety rather than restricted to a small group of privileged individuals. He noted that the Nigeria Police Force will now refocus on community-level security operations, while VIPs who still require security details will be redirected to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for escorts.
Reports from Vanguard, Pulse Nigeria, and BusinessDay indicate that the President reached the decision after security chiefs briefed him on gaps in manpower, particularly in areas dealing with frequent kidnappings, banditry, and communal crises. The withdrawal is part of a broader security reform that includes the approval of 30,000 new police recruits and the modernization of police training institutions, a plan expected to be implemented in collaboration with state governments.
Security experts and civil society actors have reacted cautiously to the announcement. The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) welcomed the move but stressed that implementation must be transparent and non-selective. Past administrations have issued similar directives that were only partially enforced, often allowing political elites to maintain police protection despite official withdrawals.
Analysts say Tinubu’s move could significantly increase the availability of police officers for real policing if properly enforced. Nigeria’s police-to-citizen ratio remains far below international standards, and a large fraction of officers are believed to be assigned to private individuals, politicians, and business figures. Redirecting these officers to public safety duties could help strengthen rapid response capacity, improve crime prevention, and enhance community trust in the police.
The success of the new policy will depend largely on enforcement and the government’s ability to deploy newly recruited officers effectively. If fully implemented, the withdrawal of police from VIP assignments could signal a new era in Nigeria’s approach to internal security, one that prioritizes the safety of citizens over the privileges of political and economic elites.
