The Nigeria Police Force has begun enforcing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to withdraw police officers attached to Very Important Persons (VIPs) nationwide, in a move aimed at strengthening frontline policing and improving security across the country.
The implementation commenced with internal directives issued to Special Protection Unit (SPU) operatives, instructing all officers currently assigned to VIP protection and non-essential beat duties to report back to their respective bases.
Officers were ordered to return on or before the stipulated deadline as part of a nationwide redeployment exercise.
President Tinubu had, during a high-level security meeting in Abuja, emphasised the need to redirect police manpower to core policing responsibilities. He noted that many communities, particularly in remote areas, remain severely understaffed, affecting the force’s ability to respond swiftly to security threats.
Under the new arrangement, VIPs requiring personal protection will now be required to seek such services through the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), thereby freeing police personnel for general law-enforcement duties.
The Federal Government said the withdrawal forms part of a broader restructuring of the nation’s security architecture.
As part of the same reform, President Tinubu approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers and pledged to work with state governments to expand and modernise police training facilities.
