The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the withdrawal of 11,566 police officers attached to Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country.
The directive follows the approval of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who recently instructed the Nigeria Police Force to reclaim personnel deployed as private security for politicians, businessmen, and other influential Nigerians.
The move is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen national security by redirecting police officers back to core operational duties, including patrols, investigations, and rapid response assignments.
According to the police authorities, the affected officers—drawn from various units such as the Mobile Police (MOPOL), Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU), and conventional police formations—are to report to their respective commands for immediate redeployment.
The withdrawal is expected to address the long-standing shortage of personnel at police divisions and improve response to rising security threats nationwide.
The IGP further warned that only individuals expressly approved by the Police High Command will retain police escorts, adding that the Force will soon issue new guidelines on the deployment of officers for personal protection.