The Nigerian Police Force has moved to strictly enforce President Bola Tinubu’s directive on the withdrawal of officers from private VIP security duties, issuing a nationwide order that any policeman found escorting Very Important Persons (VIPs) outside official assignments should be arrested immediately.

A confidential wireless message dated November 30, 2025, signed by Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, was dispatched to senior officers across all formations.

The memo, marked “very important”, underscored the urgency of compliance and warned that disciplinary measures would be taken against supervising officers who fail to enforce the directive.

The instruction was addressed to specialized units including the Mobile Police Force, VIP Protection Unit, Counter-Terrorism Force, and all state and area commands.

It explicitly ordered that any officer caught providing VIP escort services outside designated duty areas should be arrested on the spot.

The directive also restricted enforcement to Compol X-Squads and the IGPMU, ensuring strict monitoring across commands.

“Following the presidential directive to withdraw, all states to arrest any police officer found escorting any VIP in AOR yours. Disciplinary actions will also be activated against any erring supervising officer,” the memo stated.

Presidential Instruction

The police order follows President Tinubu’s announcement on November 23, 2025, during a high-level security meeting in Abuja.

The President instructed the immediate withdrawal and redeployment of police officers from VIP security details, insisting that personnel must return to core policing responsibilities such as crime prevention, public safety, and community protection.

The meeting was attended by top security officials including Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Waidi Shaibu, Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, and DSS Director-General Tosin Adeola Ajayi.

Nigeria has long grappled with criticism over the heavy deployment of police officers to guard politicians, businessmen, and other elites at the expense of public safety.

The practice drains manpower from frontline policing, leaving communities vulnerable to crime, banditry, and terrorism.

By ordering the withdrawal of VIP escorts, the Tinubu administration wants to redirect thousands of officers back to conventional duties.