President Bola Tinubu has directed the withdrawal of police officers assigned to Very Important Persons (VIPs) across Nigeria, ordering their redeployment to core policing duties. This decision was announced after a security meeting held on Sunday in Abuja with service chiefs and the director-general of the Department of State Services.

According to a statement from Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, VIPs will now be protected by armed operatives from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps instead of police officers. The aim is to enhance police presence in communities, especially in remote areas that are underserved.

Additionally, President Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 30,000 more police personnel and is collaborating with state governments to upgrade police training facilities nationwide. The meeting included key military and security personnel, underscoring the urgent need to address the overstretched police force, which has over 100,000 officers assigned to protect politicians and other VIPs.