Tinubu Orders Immediate Withdrawal of Police Officers Guarding All VIPs
- President Tinubu ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers guarding VIPs to strengthen community security
- The presidency confirmed that VIP protection would shift to the NSCDC as police personnel were redeployed nationwide
- Tinubu also approved the recruitment of 30,000 new police officers after a high-level security meeting took place in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to guard Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country, in a major shake-up aimed at strengthening community security.
The directive was announced in a statement issued by the Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday, November 23, 2025.
Source: UGC
According to him, the President wants police personnel to 'focus squarely on their core policing responsibilities', rather than VIP protection duties.
“Police authorities will now redeploy these officers to areas where they are genuinely needed,” Onanuga said in a statement on X.
VIP protection to be handled by NSCDC
Under the new arrangement, VIPs who still require escorts will no longer rely on the Nigeria Police Force but will instead request armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Quoting the presidential directive, Onanuga stated:
“VIPs who want police protection will now request well-armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.”
The statement noted that many remote communities across Nigeria have too few police officers, leaving residents vulnerable.
“This has made the task of protecting and defending the people difficult,” it added.
Source: UGC
Withdrawal of VIP policing amid safety concerns
President Tinubu, the statement said, is determined to increase the visibility and effectiveness of the police nationwide, especially given the widening security challenges.
“To address manpower shortages, President Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers,” Onanuga confirmed.
He also stated that the federal government would be partnering with state governments to upgrade police training facilities across Nigeria.
Nigerian security chiefs attend high-level meeting
The directive followed a high-level security meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The meeting was reportedly attended by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General 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 Department of State Services, Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
President Tinubu was said to have emphasised the urgent need to restore public confidence in national security institutions.
“We must ensure that every community feels the presence and protection of the Nigerian Police Force,” he reportedly told the service chiefs.
The new directive takes immediate effect.
A public analyst, Hamma Hayatu, while speaking with Legit.ng on Saturday, November 22, said:
"This is what I always advocated for, commercialise Civil defence, anyone needing armed security should get them from nscdc. Every policeman should be withdrawn back to police duty apart from top 5 office holders in the federation or states."
Tinubu vows to take down bandits
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that President Bola Tinubu had pledged the determination of his administration to end terrorism and banditry in northern Nigeria, saying no region would be allowed to 'bleed while the federal government watches.'
The remarks were delivered on November 22, during the 25th anniversary of the Arewa Consultative Forum in Kaduna, where the nation’s Commander-in-Chief was represented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
