Nigeria is facing one of its toughest security moments in recent years and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has just taken one of the most dramatic decisions yet: ordering the withdrawal of police officers guarding VIPs and redeploying them back to core policing duties.
This move didn’t happen in a vacuum. It comes right after a wave of mass abductions, including the shocking kidnapping of more than 300 students and teachers in Niger State, and the disturbing abduction of dozens of worshippers in Kwara State. These incidents exposed a painful reality: while ordinary Nigerians face danger daily, thousands of police officers remain attached to politicians and wealthy individuals.
By pulling police personnel off VIP protection and directing VIPs to seek security from the NSCDC instead, Tinubu is signaling a shift putting public safety above elite privilege. He also approved the recruitment of 30,000 new officers, aiming to strengthen policing across underserved communities.
Will this bold action fix Nigeria’s security crisis overnight? No. But it marks a crucial step in redistributing manpower at a time when the nation desperately needs more boots on the ground.
If implemented effectively, this could be the beginning of a new era where the Nigerian Police Force finally returns to its core mission: protecting the people, not just the powerful.
