President Bola Tinubu has ordered the withdrawal of police personnel from security duties protecting Very Important Persons (VIPs), directing that officers return to core policing functions to better protect the general public .
The Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, confirmed the presidential directive during a ministry management retreat. She stated that the police high command would execute this order, which also involves developing a new community policing strategy . The minister described these mandates as transformative initiatives that could significantly enhance Nigeria's internal security landscape.
This move follows an earlier announcement in June 2023 by Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, who revealed plans to withdraw Police Mobile Force personnel from VIP escort duties. The IGP explained this would allow police to reclaim their proper role in Nigeria's internal security architecture .
The police force later clarified that the move specifically targets Police Mobile Force personnel, not all police protection services. The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, explained that VIPs legally entitled to protection would continue receiving it from other police units like the Special Protection Unit . The withdrawn PMF officers will be reassigned to the newly established Special Intervention Squad .
The presidential order addresses a critical imbalance in police deployment. A European Union Agency for Asylum report estimates that over 100,000 police officers are assigned to protect politicians and VIPs rather than serving the general population . With approximately 371,800 officers serving Nigeria's population of about 237 million, this gives a ratio of one officer to 637 citizens—far below the United Nations recommended standard of one officer per 450 people .
This disproportionate allocation has left many communities severely underprotected. In 2020, Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari lamented that 30 police officers were providing security for 100 villages with only 10 guns in the state . The shortage comes as Nigeria faces grave security challenges including terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, and communal violence .
The withdrawal directive represents part of broader police reform efforts. In October 2025, President Tinubu presided over a Nigeria Police Council meeting that ratified frameworks to strengthen the force . The council approved increasing funding for the Nigeria Police Trust Fund and removing its six-year sunset clause to ensure long-term financial sustainability for police development .
Recently, the National Assembly passed two significant bills—the Police Institutes Establishment Bill and the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2025 . Inspector-General Egbetokun hailed these as major milestones that will usher in a new era of strength and professionalism .
The Police Institutes Establishment Act consolidates and modernizes police training institutions, ensuring curricula reflect global standards in law enforcement . The Trust Fund amendment strengthens financial structures, ensuring steady funding for operations, logistics, training, and officer welfare . The IGP stated these reforms would help bridge decades-long gaps in training, infrastructure, and funding that have limited police effectiveness .
President Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration's commitment to ending insecurity, stating that every Nigerian has a fundamental right to safety . In November 2025, he canceled a scheduled trip to the G20 Summit to personally coordinate security efforts amid kidnapping incidents . He later announced the successful rescue of 38 worshippers abducted in Kwara State and 51 students kidnapped from a Catholic school in Niger State .
The VIP police withdrawal policy faces historical challenges. Similar directives by previous administrations saw limited success. Former President Muhammadu Buhari's 2015 order for police withdrawal from unauthorized persons saw haphazard compliance . The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro, cited lack of funds as hindering sustained enforcement . In 2018, then-IG Ibrahim Idris also ordered withdrawals, but officers soon returned to VIP protection details .
Editorial commentary has strongly supported the policy shift. One analysis described the current system as one where the high and mighty are adequately protected while the masses are largely neglected . Another described the practice of assigning thousands of officers to VIPs as a brazen hijack of state security resources that must end .
The presidential directive aligns with Tinubu's broader security vision. In November 2025, he declared he would not relent in confronting criminality, stating that every Nigerian in every state has the right to safety . He has vowed to crush bandits and restore peace in Northern Nigeria, emphasizing that the stability of the region is indispensable to the nation's peace and prosperity .
As implementation proceeds, the government faces the challenge of ensuring this withdrawal directive achieves lasting change unlike previous attempts. Success would mean redeployed officers effectively strengthening police presence in vulnerable communities, potentially changing Nigeria's security landscape for millions of ordinary citizens.