President Bola Tinubu
In a major shift in Nigeria’s security strategy, President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to protect Very Important Persons (VIPs), directing them to refocus on community policing and frontline law enforcement.
The decision, announced at a high-level security meeting on Sunday at the State House, Abuja, comes amid growing concern that excessive VIP protection has left many towns and rural communities critically understaffed.
For years, police personnel have been heavily deployed to politicians, businessmen, and other privileged individuals, often leaving stations in remote areas unable to respond effectively to kidnappings, bandit attacks, and other violent crimes.
Under the new arrangement, VIPs who require protection will now rely on the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), freeing the Nigeria Police Force to concentrate on crime prevention, rapid response, and maintaining public safety across the country.
President Tinubu also announced plans to recruit 30,000 additional police officers and strengthen training facilities nationwide. The Federal Government is working closely with state authorities to upgrade police infrastructure and improve the operational capacity of both new recruits and serving officers.
Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, explained that the security meeting was attended by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General 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 (DSS), Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
According to officials, the directive is already being implemented, with agencies coordinating personnel reassignment and strengthening NSCDC VIP units to ensure uninterrupted protection. Analysts say the move signals a philosophical shift in Nigeria’s approach to security, placing the safety of ordinary communities at the heart of national policing.
“This is about rebalancing our security priorities,” said Onanuga. “Frontline policing must be strengthened so that every citizen, not just a few VIPs, feels protected.”
Security experts have hailed the decision as long overdue, noting that effective redeployment of personnel could reduce response times, improve law enforcement coverage in high-risk areas, and restore public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force.
With this bold policy, the Tinubu administration aims to ensure that policing serves the majority, rather than the privileged few, marking a potential turning point in Nigeria’s struggle against insecurity.