President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to guard Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country, ordering their redeployment to core policing duties amid Nigeria’s worsening security challenges.

The directive was issued on Sunday during a high-level security meeting at the State House, attended by the Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Adeola Ajayi.

Under the new policy, VIPs seeking armed protection must now obtain security personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), not the police.

According to the presidency, the move is aimed at boosting police presence in underserved and vulnerable communities where many stations currently operate with dangerously low manpower.

President Tinubu expressed concern that the shortage of officers in critical areas is hampering efforts to protect citizens. He stressed that restoring adequate police coverage nationwide is essential to stabilising the country.

To strengthen the force, the President has already approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers. The federal government is also partnering with state governments to upgrade police training facilities across Nigeria.

Sunday’s security session was attended by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; the Inspector General of Police; and the DSS Director-General.

The directive marks one of the most significant overhauls of VIP security arrangements in recent years, signalling the administration’s intent to refocus the police on citizen safety and community protection.