Police Withdrawal: Tinubu Orders Removal of Officers From VIP Duties to Tackle Insecurity
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced a major security shake-up with a nationwide Police Withdrawal from VIP protection duties. Officers previously attached to VIPs will now return to core policing functions to strengthen security in underserved communities. The presidency said VIPs requiring armed protection must now rely on the NSCDC. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed that Tinubu has also approved the recruitment of 30,000 new officers and upgrades to police training facilities.”
Monday, November 24, 2025 | Abuja
Police Withdrawal from VIP security assignments has been ordered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, marking a sweeping restructuring of national security operations aimed at strengthening police presence in vulnerable communities across the country.
The directive emerged from a high-level security meeting held on Sunday in Abuja, attended by military and intelligence chiefs, including 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 Director-General of the DSS, Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said the decision followed concerns that many remote areas suffer from inadequate police manpower, making it difficult for officers to protect residents effectively.
Under the new policy, VIPs seeking armed personal protection must now obtain security personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), allowing police officers to return fully to their primary law-enforcement duties.
To reinforce the deployment, President Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 30,000 new police officers, while the federal government collaborates with states to upgrade police training facilities nationwide.
Onanuga added that the President wants increased police visibility across all communities as the country intensifies efforts to address persistent security challenges.
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