Police authorities have distanced themselves from a widely circulated memo claiming that security aides attached to several high-profile individuals were being withdrawn nationwide.
This development follows a surge in requests for private security operatives and personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) after President Bola Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police escorts assigned to VIPs. The directive, issued on Sunday, aims to redirect more officers to communities facing severe security challenges.
Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun said on Thursday that 11,566 police escorts had already been recalled in line with the presidential order.
Findings by our correspondents across various states reveal that many affected VIPs are now turning to private security outfits and the NSCDC for their personal protection. The NSCDC, with a workforce of about 60,000, is tasked with protecting lives, safeguarding critical infrastructure, preventing crimes and assisting civil authorities during emergencies.
At the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja, senior officers confirmed that they have been receiving numerous discreet calls from VIPs requesting additional armed personnel for escorts. One source explained that despite an ongoing recruitment process for 10,000 new officers, current manpower is already overstretched due to the agency’s involvement in mining security, pipeline protection and major national events.
Similar reports emerged from Enugu, where NSCDC personnel have been receiving a significant increase in applications for their services.
State governments are also stepping in to support federal security efforts. In Ondo State, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa approved the recruitment of 500 new operatives into the Amotekun Corps. This follows the meeting of Southern governors on Wednesday in Ogun State, where they unanimously insisted that establishing state police is essential to combating insecurity.
During the same period, President Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency and reiterated his support for the creation of state police.
NSCDC Reacts to the New Demand
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said on Thursday that all paramilitary agencies under the ministry would fully implement the president’s security directives. After touring renovated NSCDC facilities in Abuja, he stressed that the corps and other agencies have the capacity to enhance national security.
NSCDC sources said they are awaiting further instructions regarding the withdrawal of police officers from VIPs but confirmed that many influential individuals have already applied for NSCDC protection. The spokesman of the Nasarawa Command, Jerry Victor, noted that the command has been inundated with applications and calls since the announcement.
Private security firms have also confirmed that requests for their services have sharply increased, though many lack the manpower to meet the demand.
In Nasarawa State, the police escorts of both serving and former federal lawmakers have been withdrawn, leaving only APC governorship aspirant Mohammed Adamu with police protection due to his status as a retired Inspector General of Police.
One former lawmaker, who preferred anonymity, said he has remained indoors since his police escort was withdrawn and is waiting for approval from both the NSCDC and a private security company before resuming his public engagements. He added that although the decision is personally inconvenient, he supports the president’s directive given the current security situation.
VIPs Now Turning to NSCDC, Correctional Officers
Our reporters in Enugu observed that many VIPs who lost their police escorts are now hiring armed personnel from the NSCDC and even the Nigerian Correctional Service, which allows its officers to be formally deployed for such duties. A senior political aide described the situation as leaving many prominent individuals “exposed” overnight.
Ndume Supports Escort Withdrawal
Senator Ali Ndume (APC – Borno South) has backed President Tinubu’s directive and called for it to be extended to members of the National Assembly. Speaking on Channels Television, he said too many police officers are stationed at the National Assembly, even as insecurity escalates nationwide.
He criticized the practice of VIPs assigning police officers to their wives and children, describing it as excessive and unfair to ordinary citizens who lack adequate security. Ndume recalled incidents where privileged families moved around Abuja in large convoys while the general population faced constant threats.
Ndume added that he personally maintains just one police orderly despite previously being offered three, citing accountability rather than security concerns.
Security Analyst: “Elites Don’t Deserve Sympathy”
A former military intelligence officer, Captain Umar Babangida Aliyu (rtd), said Nigeria’s elites should not be pitied over the withdrawal of their police escorts. He argued that for years, many benefited from security privileges while neglecting the country’s broader security needs.
He added that proper enforcement of the presidential directive would help redirect police resources to critical areas, noting that even with escorts, some VIPs were still attacked.
Inspector-General Egbetokun later clarified that the withdrawal of VIP police escorts is not a punishment or political move but part of an effort to strengthen intelligence-driven operations and rapid response teams across the country.
Police Deny Memo on Withdrawal From Atiku, Wike
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has denied issuing any directive withdrawing officers attached to figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President Namadi Sambo, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, former First Lady Aisha Buhari, Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III.
A memo circulating online—purportedly signed by a CSP attached to the 50 PMF Squadron in Kubwa—claimed that officers attached to 20 VIPs were ordered to return to base for immediate documentation. It also alleged that personnel in SPU Base 16, Lagos, were instructed to report back by November 24.
The police have dismissed the memo and the claims surrounding it.
