President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the withdrawal of police officers assigned to protect Very Important Persons (VIPs), directing that they be returned to core policing duties nationwide.
The directive was issued during a high-level security meeting held on Sunday at the Presidential Villa, attended by the Chiefs of Army and Air Staff, the Inspector General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Under the new policy, VIPs seeking official security escorts will now be required to obtain armed protection from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) rather than the police.
Presidency officials say the move is part of a broader effort to address the shortage of police personnel in many communities — particularly in remote areas where police presence is thin and security threats are growing.
To strengthen national security, President Tinubu has also approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers, alongside new federal–state collaborations aimed at upgrading police training facilities across the country.
The meeting was attended by Lt. General Waidi Shaibu (Chief of Army Staff), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke (Chief of Air Staff), Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, and DSS Director-General Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
