In the wake of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to withdraw police officers from providing personal security and escort duties for very important persons across Nigeria, some officers of the Department of State Services are reportedly lobbying influential Nigerians for redeployment as personal security details.

The move comes after the Nigeria Police Force pulled back thousands of officers from VIP protection duties to strengthen frontline policing and respond to escalating insecurity across the country. The withdrawal, championed by the presidency as part of broader security reforms, aims to free up police manpower for community protection and crime prevention.

According to multiple reports, some DSS operatives have approached high-profile individuals, offering their services as security escorts in the emerging vacuum created by the police exit. These approaches have raised eyebrows among security analysts and VIPs alike, as the DSS traditionally focuses on intelligence and national security rather than routine personal protection.

A handful of elite Nigerians told journalists that officers had visited their offices to request intervention with state directors for deployment as personal protectors, describing the assignments as desirable postings.

While the statutory mandate of the DSS does include the protection of certain national assets and persons, any deployment of officers for individual VIP security is subject to established operational protocols, sources stressed.

The shift has also triggered a surge in demand for private security services nationwide. Security companies report that requests for travel escorts and protective details have spiked since the police withdrawal, with many VIPs and travelers seeking alternative arrangements.

Lawmakers and public figures have weighed in on the reforms. Some members of the House of Representatives argue that Nigerian citizens should not be denied access to extra security if they desire it, suggesting a broader debate over security privileges and equity.

President Tinubu has defended the policy, reiterating that the withdrawal of police from VIP protection is intended to reallocate scarce resources toward combating kidnapping, banditry, and terrorism. He has insisted there will be no reversal of the order, urging full compliance by security agencies.

As the debate continues, experts say the success of the reform will depend on how effectively security gaps are filled, whether by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, private security firms, or other authorized entities, and how well public safety is balanced with the security needs of public figures.

Seventeen vulnerable residents across five villages in Obosi Ukwalla, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, have received food items and cash support from the Prestigious Otu Odu Obosi Cultural Society.

The gesture sparked excitement among beneficiaries and community members.

The Group, made up of the highest-ranking titled women in Obosi, embarked on the outreach to help relieve the widespread hunger and hardship affecting many families in the country.

Leader of the society, Isimuo Nkechinyere Okeke Ugochukwu, explained that the 2025 empowerment effort was inspired by the rising economic challenges, which have forced many families into severe deprivation.

“We chose to reach out to some destitute persons in our midst because of the extreme hardship in the country. Hunger has pushed many children into street hawking just to support their parents,” she said. “Some of the beneficiaries are stroke patients, bedridden and without support.”

She highlighted the distribution across the villages: three beneficiaries in Mmakwum, two in Uruowulu, four in Ire, two in Ugamuma, and four in Umuota. Each beneficiary received rice, yam, tomatoes, onions, and cash.

Secretary of the group, Mrs. Chinelo Okenwa (Iyom Dinyelugo), revealed that this was the first time the society was embarking on such an empowerment initiative.

She added that next year’s outreach would extend to orphanages, hospitals, and more indigent families.

The spokesperson, Mrs. Adaobi Maduegbuna (Iyom Ugegbediya), noted that beneficiaries were carefully selected from all the villages to ensure that only the most vulnerable received support.

She appealed to well-meaning sons and daughters of Obosi to partner with the group in future projects.

She also disclosed the group’s financial contribution to Obosi’s two security outfits MACOB and the Vigilante Group describing the donation as unprecedented.

Representing the Eze Iweka Palace, Nze Okenwa Shedrach Igwebuike (Ugoeju), commended the group for its compassion and initiative.

He highlighted the revered status of Otu Odu women in Obosi, comparing their traditional roles to those of the Nze na Ozo male title holders.

He described Otu Odu as the highest title for women in Obosi, forming an important part of the town’s traditional governance structure.

In what will come across as a really tragic incident in Adamawa State, at least seven women were reportedly shot de@d by soldiers assigned to escort Brigade Commander Amechi Agwu of the 23 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Yola.

According to SaharaReporters, this was after the troops reportedly opened fire on the group of protesters in Lamurde.

The tragic incident occurred Monday afternoon, at Rigange junction, deepening tensions already inflamed by a violent assault earlier in the day by suspected Chobo-speaking militia, who had launched coordinated attacks on multiple communities in Lamurde Local Government Area.

A respected community leader, struggling to hold back tears, told SaharaReporters that 12 women were shot, with seven dying instantly.

“Five others are battling for their lives at Numan General Hospital,” he said, his voice breaking as he recounted the chaos that followed the shooting.

According to multiple local sources, the women had gathered to protest what they described as the unforgivably late arrival of security forces, who, they said, only reached the affected villages hours after the attackers had finished their rampage and retreated unchallenged.

“The women were angry, frustrated, and tired of burying their own,” another source said. “They were demanding answers. Instead, what they got were bullets.”

SaharaReporters reached out to the spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Apollonia Anele, for comments on the incident.

However, calls to her mobile line were not answered, and a text message sent to him seeking clarification on the shooting had also not received a response at the time of publishing this report.

Efforts to obtain the Army’s official position on the allegations remain ongoing, but as of press time, no reaction had been provided.

The Nigerian Army had not issued an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.