President Bola Tinubu has ordered that police officers currently assigned to provide security for Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country be recalled and redeployed to regular policing duties.
The directive, announced by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, is intended to bolster police presence in communities that are currently underserved and facing rising security challenges.
Under the new arrangement, VIPs who require armed protection will now rely on personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps rather than the police. The presidency highlighted that many rural and remote areas remain understaffed, which limits the ability of officers to respond effectively to threats and safeguard residents.
This initiative is part of a broader national security strategy, which also includes the recent approval to recruit 30,000 additional police officers. The federal government is working alongside state authorities to upgrade training facilities, ensuring that both new and existing officers are better equipped for field operations.
The directive comes after a high-level security meeting held on Sunday in Abuja, which brought together service chiefs and intelligence leaders. Attendees included 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, Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
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