President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the withdrawal of about 100,000 police officers currently providing security for Very Important Persons (VIPs) in Nigeria.
A statement signed by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said that henceforth, police authorities will deploy the personnel to concentrate on their core policing duties.
The presidential directive was issued at the security meeting President Tinubu held on Sunday with the police, Air Force, Army chiefs, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services in Abuja.
The presidential directive stated that VIPs who require police protection will now request well-armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Despite the fact that many parts of Nigeria, especially remote areas, have few policemen at stations, estimated 100,000 policemen are attached to VIPs and politically exposed persons across the country.
According to a report by the European Union Agency for Asylum in November, the Nigeria Police Force has an estimated strength of 371,800 officers serving a population of about 236.7 million people.
This development makes fewer personnel available for public protection, compounding the task of protecting and defending the populace.
The statement said that, in view of the current security challenges facing the country, Tinubu is desirous of boosting police presence in all communities.
Already, President Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers. The Federal Government is also collaborating with the states to upgrade police training facilities nationwide.
Sunday’s meeting with the President was attended by Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and Director-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
