Police to Arrest Officers Escorting VIPs, Says Force PRO

 

The Nigeria Police Force has warned that any officer found providing escort or protection for Very Important Persons (VIPs) will be arrested, following a directive issued by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, stressing that all officers previously assigned to VIP protection have been withdrawn.

“The enforcement is on. The IGP gave the directive that any police officer found escorting VIPs be arrested because he is on illegal duty. Every one of them has been recalled,” Hundeyin said.

He added that the IGP ordered the AIG in charge of the Special Protection Unit to deploy personnel to the Abuja airport to apprehend any officer still escorting VIPs, with similar instructions issued to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.

Hundeyin, however, clarified that some government officials remain legally entitled to police protection, including governors and judges, pending further directives from the presidency.

The enforcement follows President Bola Tinubu’s order withdrawing police escorts from VIPs as part of efforts to redeploy officers to core policing duties amid rising nationwide insecurity. VIPs requiring protection are now expected to use armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said the policy aims to bolster police presence, especially in underserved rural areas.

The development comes as President Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency and approved expanded recruitment into the police and armed forces. The police are expected to recruit an additional 20,000 personnel to bring their total strength to 50,000.