At a high-level security meeting in Abuja on Sunday, November 23, 2025, Tinubu met with military chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services to address the surge in kidnappings and terrorist attacks across the country.
According to his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president ordered that police officers attached to VIPs be reassigned to counter-insurgency operations, patrols, and community policing. VIPs requiring protection will now be guarded by operatives from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) instead of the police The Punch.
The move comes after reports revealed that over 100,000 policemen—nearly a third of Nigeria’s police force—are tied up in VIP protection, leaving ordinary citizens vulnerable to insecurity primetimes.com.ng. Analysts argue that this imbalance has contributed to the inability of police to respond effectively to widespread abductions, particularly in northern states.
Tinubu’s directive is seen as a bold attempt to reallocate manpower toward public safety. However, critics warn that without systemic reforms, the redeployment may only provide temporary relief. Civil society groups have urged the government to complement the move with investments in intelligence gathering, technology-driven policing, and welfare for officers.
The president emphasized that the decision was necessary to “rout terrorists rampaging across the country” and restore confidence in Nigeria’s security architecture. The Inspector-General of Police is expected to begin immediate implementation, with a phased withdrawal of officers from VIP duties.
