News
SEE VIDEO: TINUBU DIRECTS MASS WITHDRAWAL OF POLICE FROM VIP DUTIES TO STRENGTHEN NATIONAL SECURITY.
By Prince Uwalaka Chimaroke
24- NOV- 2025
A decisive shift in national security strategy has been announced as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu orders the immediate withdrawal of police officers currently assigned to guard Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country. The directive aims to redeploy these officers to frontline policing in order to reinforce security presence in communities nationwide.
The order was issued during a high-level security meeting held on Sunday in Abuja, attended by top security chiefs, including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General 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 Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
Under the new directive, public officials and private citizens requiring special protection will now have to obtain armed security personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), rather than the Nigeria Police Force. This move is expected to free up thousands of police officers previously tied to VIP escort and guard duties.
The Presidency notes that many rural and remote communities currently suffer from critically low police presence, leaving residents vulnerable to attacks, kidnappings, and other criminal activities. President Tinubu has therefore prioritized reinforcing police manpower in public spaces as part of broader efforts to stabilize the security environment.
To complement this redeployment, the President has approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police personnel. The federal government is also partnering with state governments to upgrade police training facilities nationwide, ensuring that new and existing officers are equipped to meet modern security challenges.
The directive signals a significant step toward strengthening grassroots policing and restoring citizens’ confidence in the nation’s security architecture.
The announcement was contained in a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, dated November 23, 2025.