The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has announced the withdrawal of 11,566 police escorts from Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to strengthen national security.

Mr Egbetokun, who disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during a meeting with senior police commanders, said the officers had been redeployed to critical policing duties as part of a strategic overhaul aimed at boosting security presence in underserved and vulnerable communities.

“In line with the President’s directive, we have withdrawn a total of 11,566 personnel from VIP protection. These officers are being redeployed to critical policing duties immediately,” he said.

The police chief stressed that the decision was driven not by sentiment but by the urgent need to redirect manpower to areas where public safety concerns were most pressing.

The development came five days after Mr Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police officers assigned to VIPs, maintaining that they should return to their core responsibilities of securing communities.

During a security meeting with service chiefs and the director-general of the State Security Service (SSS) in Abuja on Sunday, the president lamented police shortage in remote parts of the country.

“Many parts of Nigeria, especially remote areas, have few policemen at the stations, thus making the task of protecting and defending the people difficult,” said presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, in a statement, quoting Mr Tinubu. 

Mr Egbetokun said the redeployment would allow the police to expand manpower for rural and urban security operations, population protection, intensified patrols, intelligence-driven policing, and rapid response to emerging threats. 

He added that implementation of the directive would be tightly managed to prevent impersonation, misinformation, and exploitation by criminals.

“The withdrawal is not a retreat from responsibility, but a reclamation of it,” he added.

Reacting earlier to the President’s directive, a former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, welcomed the policy but expressed doubt over its full implementation.

In a post on X, he described the move as “a good idea,” adding that it might remain only a public declaration.

“Withdrawal of police from VIPs is a good idea and good policy statement in view of the nation’s urgent security needs, but it will only begin and end up as a statement,” Mr Sani wrote.