Civil Defence Are Not Competent Enough - VIPs Cry Out as Tinubu Orders Police Escort Withdrawal
- VIPs across the country were thrown into uncertainty after the president ordered the withdrawal of police escorts assigned to influential individuals
- Police sources said many VIPs had inundated the force headquarters with calls as they questioned whether NSCDC operatives could provide adequate protection
- Senior officers and activists warned that escort withdrawals had raised concerns about weakened patrols and strained police logistics
Fear has spread among many of the country’s high-profile individuals after President Bola Tinubu directed the withdrawal of police escorts from VIPs.
The directive was announced in a weekend statement issued by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga. He explained that police personnel would now return to core operational duties while VIPs who still require close protection are expected to seek assistance from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps.
Source: Facebook
The decision has triggered anxiety among the affected persons. Multiple police sources confirmed that several VIPs have been calling police headquarters to seek clarification and to register concerns about their security, especially given the country’s fragile safety climate, Vanguard reported.
Concerns over protection quality
According to the sources cited by Vanguard, many of the callers questioned whether NSCDC operatives could offer the same level of protection as the mobile police officers they were accustomed to.
One VIP reportedly told senior officers that relying on civil defence personnel would be akin to engaging Boy Scouts. The source said the VIP argued that mobile policemen were better equipped and more prepared for unpredictable threats.
Another VIP said the use of police escorts had become a defining feature of Nigeria’s security structure. He warned that abrupt withdrawal without a clear transition plan could create more fear.
Source: Twitter
He noted that while escort services were often justified by the status of those being protected, the practice had long raised questions about fairness and the diversion of public security resources. He added that ending the service abruptly could heighten public unease if not managed with balance and clarity.
Debate over proper allocation
A serving police officer who reportedly spoke anonymously to Vanguard raised a broader concern. He said the widespread allocation of police escorts to individuals who could afford private security had weakened the force’s ability to respond to criminal activity.
He pointed to the country’s ongoing threats from kidnappers, insurgents and armed gangs. He noted that assigning officers to VIP movements sometimes left communities with fewer patrol units.
Another police source in Abuja shared a similar view. He said entire units were often dedicated to escorting governors or business figures for long hours, leaving assigned districts with fewer officers on the ground.
He described the arrangement as a logistical strain that affected policing effectiveness.
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.
Source: Legit.ng
