President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday reaffirmed his directive ordering the withdrawal of police officers from VIP protection duties and redeploying them to core policing functions across the country.
The President restated his stance minutes before presiding over the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja.
Expressing frustration at what he described as the slow pace of compliance, Tinubu insisted that the directive must be fully implemented. “I honestly believe in what I said… It should be effected. If you have any problem because of the nature of your assignment, contact the IGP and get my clearance,” he said.
To prevent security gaps following the withdrawal of police escorts, Tinubu instructed the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to work closely with the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to immediately replace police details where necessary.
“The minister of interior should liaise with the IG and the Civil Defence structure to replace those police officers who are on special security duties so that you don’t leave people exposed,” the President stressed.
READ ALSO: Tinubu orders withdrawal of police guards from VIPs, directs deployment to core policing duties
He further directed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Department of State Services to issue additional guidance to ensure full compliance. The President framed the decision as part of a broader response to rising cases of kidnapping and insecurity. “We are facing challenges of kidnapping. We need all the forces we have on the ground, fully utilised,” he said.
Tinubu added that while some officials remained vulnerable, the NSCDC would increasingly take over VIP protection roles. He also disclosed that forest guards would now be armed, directing the NSA to “take it very seriously.”
In a related move, the President assigned Vice-President Kashim Shettima to work through the National Economic Council to identify grazing reserves that can be rehabilitated into ranches and livestock settlements. He argued that formalising livestock production would reduce farmer-herder conflicts and unlock economic opportunities. “We must eliminate the possibility of conflicts and turn livestock reform into economically viable development,” Tinubu said.
Wednesday’s charge comes nearly three weeks after his initial directive, issued on 23 November, instructing that police personnel assigned to VIPs be withdrawn and redeployed to communities, highways and schools following a series of large-scale kidnappings across Kebbi, Kwara and Niger States.
The renewed push also followed remarks by Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, who criticised what he described as an “excessively large security battalion” assigned to Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son.
Speaking at an event in Lagos on Tuesday, Soyinka said he was “astonished” by the size of the entourage, saying it was “sufficient to take over a small country.”
