President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pull back every officer currently assigned to guard Very Important Persons throughout the nation.
The instruction, which was made public by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga after a high‑level security summit at the State House in Abuja, stipulates that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) will now assume responsibility for providing armed protection to any individuals who still require it.
The primary aim of the directive is to redeploy police personnel to their core law‑enforcement duties, especially in remote and underserved regions where chronic understaffing has left many stations unable to safeguard citizens or respond promptly to emergencies.
According to the presidency, the shortage of officers in rural areas has severely limited the force’s capacity to protect the public.In conjunction with the withdrawal, Tinubu has approved the recruitment of an additional 30,000 police officers and pledged to upgrade training facilities across the country, a move intended to boost police visibility and operational effectiveness.
The decision was discussed during a meeting that included the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Air Staff, the Inspector‑General of Police, and the Director‑General of the Department of State Services.
Officials emphasize that the shift toward community‑focused policing, coupled with the use of the NSCDC for VIP security, forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen national security and restore public confidence in the police force. Details of implementation are expected to be outlined by the Inspector‑General of Police in the coming days.
