Anxiety is spreading among Nigeria’s influential political and business elites after President Bola Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police escorts assigned to Very Important Persons, directing that officers be redeployed to core policing duties. The presidency said VIPs who still require protection must now apply for armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Police insiders told Newsmen that senior officers at Force Headquarters have been inundated with calls from concerned VIPs seeking clarification, with many expressing fears over the worsening security situation in the country. Several complained that NSCDC operatives lack the tactical training and equipment traditionally associated with mobile police units.
One source said a prominent VIP likened the change to “using boy scouts for security,” arguing that police mobile officers are better prepared to confront armed threats. Another elite figure warned that withdrawing escorts without proper restructuring could exacerbate insecurity and undermine public confidence, saying the practice of VIP protection reflects long-standing concerns about inequality in the country’s security system.
A serving police officer who asked not to be named raised broader questions about the strain VIP escorts place on community policing. He noted that officers frequently pulled from high-risk areas to accompany convoys leave already vulnerable communities understaffed, contributing to slower response times and weakened crime prevention efforts.
The officer added that some units spend entire days assigned to governors or wealthy individuals, a deployment pattern he described as a “major logistical setback” for frontline policing. Human rights advocates echoed this concern, arguing that diverting officers to protect the elite deepens public distrust, especially in regions battling violent crime where police presence is already limited.
When contacted, Force Public Relations Officer Benjamin Hundeyin did not provide figures on the number of officers affected or the timeline for the withdrawal, saying he would revert later.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC), however, dismissed the directive as political theatre. Party spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi said similar orders issued earlier in the year produced “no tangible results,” insisting the government is prioritising optics over strategy. He argued that even freeing up 100,000 officers would not address fundamental capability gaps, warning that both the police and military remain overstretched against increasingly sophisticated insurgent groups.
