President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that police officers assigned to protect Very Important Persons (VIPs) be withdrawn and redeployed to focus on core policing duties across the country.
The decision was announced following a security meeting on Sunday in Abuja, attended by top security officials, including Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. 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.
According to a statement from the President’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, VIPs requiring protection will now rely on personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The move aims to bolster police presence in communities, especially in rural and remote areas that have been understaffed, making citizen protection challenging.
The statement also noted that the administration has approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers and is collaborating with state governments to improve training facilities nationwide, addressing growing security concerns.