The Nigeria Police authorities have issued directives for the arrest of any officer found providing escort or protection for Very Important Persons (VIPs).
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said such an assignment was illegal.
Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, issued the warning on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, insisting that all officers previously attached to VIP protection duties have been fully withdrawn and enforcement is ongoing.
“The enforcement is on. The IGP gave the directive that any police officer found escorting VIPs be arrested because, definitely, he is on illegal duty. Every one of them has been recalled.
“The IGP ordered the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Special Protection Unit to go to the Abuja airport and station his men there and arrest any police officer found escorting VIPs.
“He gave the same order to the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State to go to the Lagos airport and arrest any police officer escorting VIPs. That’s how seriously we take this,” he added.
He also clarified that certain categories of public officials remain entitled to police protection.
“Yes, we have withdrawn police from VIPs but I want you to know that there are certain government officials that are statutory entitled to police officers and would retain their police protection till we get further clearer directives from the presidency,” he said.
Although he did not provide a complete list, he cited governors and judges as examples.
The move follows President Bola Tinubu’s order directing the withdrawal of police escorts from VIPs to redeploy personnel to core policing functions amid rising insecurity nationwide.
The directive, delivered during a security briefing with service chiefs, mandates that any VIP requiring security must source well-armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said the policy is aimed at refocusing police resources on critical law enforcement, especially in rural areas where police presence remains inadequate.
The development comes as Tinubu declared a nationwide state of security emergency amid escalating kidnappings and terrorist attacks.
As part of the response, the President approved an expansion of police and military recruitment, with the police set to add 20,000 new officers to raise the total to 50,000.
