The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has confirmed the withdrawal of 11,566 police officers previously assigned to private security duties for Very Important Persons (VIPs) across Nigeria.
The move follows a directive from President Bola Tinubu, who instructed that police personnel currently deployed to provide security for VIPs be redeployed to focus on core policing duties. The directive was issued during a security meeting in Abuja involving the heads of the Nigeria Police Force, the Air Force, the Army, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to the IGP, VIPs seeking armed protection will now rely on personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
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Addressing journalists in Abuja, Egbetokun clarified that the actual number of officers on VIP protection is far below some exaggerated figures circulating on social media. “Some people claim that 120,000 officers are attached to private individuals. These figures are false. The real number, as confirmed by the presidential directive, is 11,566,” he said.
The IGP emphasized that the withdrawal is not entirely new, as his office had previously begun reassessing and redeploying officers from private duties. However, the presidential order has made the process more effective.
- “Now that it is a presidential directive, there will be no undue influence on the police leadership. No governor, minister, or personal acquaintance can pressure me, my commissioners of police to retain officers for private assignments,” Egbetokun stated.
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He highlighted that redeploying the 11,566 officers to core policing functions will significantly strengthen security across the country, especially in rural and underserved areas. “We are returning to our frontline policing duties at a critical time. This redeployment will help address manpower shortages and improve service delivery,” he added.
The IGP also reassured that the welfare of all officers being reassigned will be prioritized. “President Tinubu understands the importance of our officers’ welfare. Those deployed to remote communities will be properly cared for, and I can assure you of that,” he said.
Egbetokun concluded by affirming that the implementation of the directive will be thorough, with the police fully focused on national security and public safety.
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