President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to provide security for Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country. The directive followed a security meeting held on Sunday, November 23, in Abuja, attended by service chiefs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, the decision is aimed at strengthening police presence in communities and refocusing officers on their primary policing responsibilities. VIPs seeking security escort will now be required to request armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
“Many parts of Nigeria, especially remote areas, have few policemen at the stations, thus making the task of protecting and defending the people difficult,” Onanuga stated, adding that the President is committed to improving national security.
To support this shift, President Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers, while the federal government is partnering with state governments to upgrade police training facilities nationwide.
Present at the meeting were the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and DSS Director-General, Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
