Tinubu Orders Withdrawal of Police from VIP Duties as Security Pressures Rise.
In Abuja today, President Bola Tinubu directed the immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to VIPs, a decision that signals a sharp turn in the nation’s security priorities. The directive, delivered during a closed door meeting at the State House, drew senior security chiefs into a room where the air was said to be thick with urgency. The President was described as firm as he instructed that officers must return to their core duties in communities where police presence has thinned to worrying levels. Many stations, particularly in remote corners of the federation, are said to be struggling with barely enough hands to respond to rising attacks, burglaries, and ongoing threats from organized criminal groups. A statement issued afterwards explained that the current arrangement, which places a significant number of officers at the disposal of influential individuals, can no longer be sustained at a time when rural and peri urban areas face growing vulnerability. Under the new order, those who insist on personal protection will be required to rely on guards from the civil defense corps rather than the police. The President has also approved the recruitment of thirty thousand additional officers and directed states to work with the federal authorities to rehabilitate and expand police training facilities. This is intended to reinforce a force that has, for years, operated with fewer numbers than required. The implications are far-reaching. For years, analysts and former senior officers have warned that VIP protection drains the operational strength of the police, leaving ordinary Nigerians exposed. With nearly one-third of the force reportedly committed to guarding politicians, business magnates, and other privileged individuals, the public space has suffered a thinning of uniformed presence. Reversing that pattern will not be simple. The directive challenges a deeply ingrained culture where political office and influence often translate into automatic security privileges. It also places new expectations on the civil defence corps, which must now absorb the demands of VIP protection while maintaining its own responsibilities. For now, the policy shift introduces a note of suspense into national security planning. Whether the withdrawal will lead to measurable changes on the streets and in remote villages will unfold over the coming weeks, testing both political will and institutional discipline as Nigeria attempts to strengthen the front lines against strong wave of threats.
| 2025-11-23 19:39:18