President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that police officers currently assigned to guard Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country be withdrawn and redeployed to core policing functions.
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The directive was issued during a high-level security meeting held on Sunday in Abuja, attended by service chiefs from the Army, Air Force, Police, and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Under the new policy, VIPs who require protection will now obtain armed security personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), rather than the Nigeria Police Force.
The presidency noted that the move comes amid persistent security challenges and the shortage of police personnel in many parts of the country, especially in remote communities. The reallocation of officers is expected to strengthen police presence nationwide and improve citizen protection.
To further boost manpower, President Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers and is working with state governments to upgrade training facilities across Nigeria.
Sunday’s meeting was attended by 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.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, released the statement on November 23, 2025.
