President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country, directing that they return to core policing duties to boost national security.
The directive followed a high-level security meeting the President held on Sunday in Abuja with the heads of the Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, and the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to a statement issued by the Special adviser to the President on information and strategy Bayo Onanuga on Sunday, Under the new arrangement, VIPs requiring official protection will now obtain armed security personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), rather than the police.
The Presidency says the move is part of ongoing efforts to increase police presence in communities, especially in remote areas where stations are currently understaffed a gap that has made effective protection and response difficult.
To strengthen manpower, President Tinubu has already approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers. The Federal Government is also working with state governments to upgrade police training facilities nationwide.
Sunday’s meeting was attended by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and the Director-General of the DSS, Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
(Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie)
