President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to Very Important Persons (VIPs) nationwide, directing that they return to core policing responsibilities.
Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed the directive in a statement on Sunday following a high-level security meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Under the new arrangement, VIPs who still require security protection will now have to request armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) rather than the Nigeria Police Force.
The Presidency noted that many communities across Nigeria remain under-policed, a situation the President says is unacceptable given current security challenges.
To boost manpower, Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 30,000 new police officers, alongside ongoing efforts with state governments to upgrade police training facilities across the country.
Sunday’s meeting was attended by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and the Director-General of the DSS, Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
