The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has announced that the Nigeria Police Force has withdrawn 11,566 officers previously assigned to guard Very Important Persons (VIPs), in compliance with President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive.
Nigerian Newssphere reports that President Tinubu had ordered the withdrawal of police operatives attached to VIPs, directing that officers be redeployed to strengthen core policing duties nationwide. The directive was issued during a security meeting held on Sunday with service chiefs, including the heads of the police, Air Force, Army, and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Under the new policy, VIPs seeking armed protection are to request personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), not the police.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, IGP Egbetokun said the presidential order has eased long-standing pressures on the police leadership.
“We have already withdrawn 11,566 personnel. We have given directives for that,” he said.
He dismissed reports on social media alleging that 120,000 police officers were assigned to private individuals, describing the claims as false and misleading.
“People are quoting figures I don’t know where they got from. How many are we in the Nigerian Police that 120,000 would be attached to private individuals? The recent presidential directive made us discover that 11,566 policemen are engaged in VIP protection,” he clarified.
Egbetokun noted that this is not the first time the police are enforcing such withdrawals. He explained that earlier directives had led to the removal of some officers from private assignments, but the presidential order now provides stronger backing to implement the policy without interference.
“With this presidential order, there will be no pressure on the IG. No governor, no minister, no friend or family member will call. Everyone knows it is a presidential directive,” he said.
He added that the redeployed personnel will be sent to areas where they are urgently needed, especially for frontline policing at a time of manpower shortages.
“We are returning to our core policing function. Deploying these 11,566 officers will help us a lot,” he said, assuring that the welfare of affected officers—particularly those sent to rural or remote areas—will be prioritized.
“The President understands the importance of their welfare, and we will not neglect it,” he added.
Earlier, popular Nigerian activist Omoyele Sowore and former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani had dismissed the likelihood of the police fully implementing President Tinubu’s directive.
