- Timeline exposes repeated failures since 2015
Following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive ordering the withdrawal of police officers currently assigned to protect Very Important Persons (VIPs), several high-profile individuals have voiced concern over the decision.
Many argue that personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who are expected to take over VIP protection duties, are not as well-equipped or extensively trained as mobile police officers and may therefore be unable to provide adequate security.
But Nigerian governments and police authorities have repeatedly ordered the withdrawal of police from VIPs. Over the years, though, these directives have historically faced challenges with full implementation.
One VIP reportedly told Vanguard, “It will be like engaging Boy Scouts. Mobile policemen are more agile and battle-ready to confront any situation.”
Another warned that abrupt withdrawal without a clear transition plan could heighten insecurity fears.
Anonymous police officers point out that assigning units to VIP protection had long weakened police coverage in communities.
Entire units are often dedicated to escorting governors or business figures, leaving districts understaffed and slowing response times to crimes.
“In a country grappling with a wide range of security threats, including insurgencies, armed robberies, kidnappings, and communal violence, the use of law enforcement personnel to safeguard individuals who can afford private security is a cause for concern,” the officer said.
“Police patrol teams in certain areas are often understaffed, and response times to distress calls are prolonged as a result of the overwhelming number of officers assigned to VIP duties. In some cases, police officers are redirected from high-crime areas to provide convoy escorts, leaving already vulnerable communities to fend for themselves.”
A human rights activist, Tony Udemmadu, cautioned that VIP police escorts undermine public trust.
“While the elite enjoy protection, ordinary citizens face mounting insecurity without adequate support,” he said.
He stressed the importance of balancing VIP safety with community security.
And while some VIPs agreed that escort services are necessary, they called for gradual reforms, stressing that protection measures should not compromise public safety or create perceptions of inequality.
“Rationalising the exercise rather than an abrupt stop will help maintain both elite protection and societal security,” a source added.
Below is a timeline of directives for withdrawal of police from VIPs in Nigeria in the last 10 years. Will they ever be obeyed? Time will tell.
- August 2015: President Muhammadu Buhari, through the then-IGP Sunday Arase, directed a reduction in the number of policemen attached to VIPs.
- March 2018: Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris ordered the withdrawal of all police officers from VIP security details to address security challenges and improve policing efficiency.
- October 2020: IGP Mohammed Adamu issued a similar directive for the immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to VIPs, two days after the climax of the #EndSARS protests.
- May/June 2021: IGP Baba Alkali Usman ordered the “immediate withdrawal of officers attached to private citizens”, following an earlier order in May for withdrawals from southeastern states and Rivers state due to security concerns.
- June 2023: The current IGP, Olukayode Egbetokun, announced the withdrawal of Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel from VIP escort and guard duties to restore the unit’s core function as a rapid response force.
- November 2025: President Bola Tinubu ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to VIPs across the country to reassign them to core policing duties and community policing efforts. Under this directive, VIPs requiring security are expected to use personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) instead of the police.
