The Nigerian Police Force has ordered the immediate arrest of any officer found providing personal security to VIPs, following a directive from the presidency.
A confidential police message obtained by SaharaReporters, dated November 30, 2025, and issued by Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, instructed all state commands and specialized units to enforce the order strictly.
The message, addressed to senior officers, including the Department of Operations, Assistant Inspectors General of Police, Mobile Police Force, VIP Protection Unit, Counter-Terrorism Force, Federal Operations Unit, and all state and area commands, warned that any officer caught escorting a VIP outside official duty areas would face immediate arrest. Supervising officers failing to ensure compliance would also face disciplinary action.
“Following the presidential directive to withdraw, all states are to arrest any police officer found escorting a VIP in their Area of Responsibility. Disciplinary actions will also be activated against erring supervising officers,” the memo stated. The order restricts enforcement to Compol x-squads and the IGPMU while emphasizing strict monitoring across all commands. The message was marked “very important,” with no further reminders planned.
The directive follows concerns over the misuse of security personnel and resources by individuals outside official government protection protocols. On November 23, 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed that police officers assigned to VIP security nationwide be withdrawn and redeployed to focus on their core policing duties.
The presidential directive, issued during a security meeting in Abuja, involved top officials, including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; the IGP; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
Under the new arrangement, VIPs seeking protection are required to request personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The move is part of President Tinubu’s efforts to strengthen policing nationwide, especially in remote areas where limited manpower has made it challenging for officers to protect and defend communities effectively.
