President Bola Tinubu has ordered the withdrawal of police officers assigned to Very Important People across the country, with the directive that they be redeployed to core policing tasks.
The decision was delivered during the president’s Sunday security meeting in Abuja with service chiefs and the director-general of the Department of State Services.
According to a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, VIPs who require protection would now be allocated armed operatives from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps rather than the police.
“Many parts of Nigeria, especially remote areas, have few policemen at the stations, thus making the task of protecting and defending the people difficult.
“In view of the current security challenges facing the country, President Tinubu is desirous of boosting police presence in all communities,” the statement read.
Onanuga also revealed that the president has approved the recruitment of 30,000 extra police officers and that the federal government is collaborating with states to improve police training facilities around the country.
The meeting on Sunday 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.
The withdrawal of police escorts from VIPs comes despite long-standing worries about Nigeria’s police force being overstretched.
According to some accounts, over 100,000 police officers are assigned to politicians, businessmen, and other VIPs.
