The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has disclosed that more than 11,000 police officers withdrawn from Very Important Persons (VIPs) security duties have been redeployed nationwide to strengthen frontline policing and protect vulnerable communities.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday after a meeting with senior police commanders, Egbetokun said the decision followed a presidential directive and was aimed at prioritising public safety rather than providing security for VIPs. He explained that the move was not sentimental but a necessary strategy to redirect manpower to areas with urgent security needs.
According to him, a total of 11,566 officers were recalled from VIP protection and immediately reassigned to critical policing responsibilities. He said the redeployment supports the Nigeria Police Force’s core mandate of safeguarding citizens, communities, and public order.
Egbetokun noted that the withdrawal would improve manpower availability for rural and urban security, population protection, intensified patrols, intelligence-led operations, and quick response to emerging threats across the country. He assured that the implementation would be carefully managed to avoid misinformation, impersonation, or exploitation by criminals, adding that detailed operational guidelines would be issued soon.
Describing the move as “a reclamation of responsibility,” the IGP said recent security incidents, including abductions in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger states, underscored the need to reposition the force, strengthen its presence, and improve crime deterrence nationwide.
While acknowledging public concerns about police effectiveness, Egbetokun said security agencies had acted promptly in responding to recent incidents. “We may not be doing enough, but it is not that we are not working. We are actually doing something. But as leaders, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard,” he stated.
He also revealed that the police recorded significant operational achievements in recent weeks, with 8,202 suspects arrested for various crimes and 232 kidnapped victims rescued. Those arrested include 451 armed robbery suspects, 356 kidnapping suspects, 534 murder suspects, 129 culpable homicide suspects, 173 persons for unlawful possession of firearms, 312 suspected rapists, 282 suspected cultists, and 6,094 others for other serious offences. In addition, officers recovered 249 firearms, nearly 21,000 rounds of ammunition, and 238 vehicles.
Egbetokun said the force was adopting stronger intelligence systems, expanding community engagement initiatives, and enhancing inter-agency cooperation to stay ahead of criminal activities.
With the festive season approaching, he ordered all state commands to strengthen patrols, boost visibility on highways, and intensify community policing. He announced the deployment of drones and artificial intelligence tools to support surveillance operations.
“As Nigerians prepare to travel for the festive season, criminal elements may attempt to exploit the roads. We must dominate the roads through proactive policing,” he said. He instructed state commands to roll out festive operational plans, including expanded highway patrols, reinforced patrols at motor parks, anti-robbery operations on major routes, rural corridor patrols, and inter-agency highway security collaborations. Performance will also be monitored through operational hour tracking and security presence indicators during the December period.
DIP CONNECT Online had earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police officers from VIP assignments and their redeployment to core security duties following a security meeting in Abuja involving service chiefs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services.
ADEOLA KUNLE
