FG Orders Immediate Withdrawal Of Police Escorts From VIPs, Redeploys Officers Nationwide

The Federal Government has ordered the immediate withdrawal and redeployment of officers of the Nigeria Police Force previously assigned to VIP escort duties across the country.

The move, announced on Friday by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, signals a strategic shift from the protection of private individuals to strengthening public safety and community policing.

“Further strengthening the security architecture, the Nigeria Police Force has executed a large-scale redeployment of officers previously assigned to VIP escort duties nationwide,” the minister said.

Idris explained that the redeployment was designed to correct longstanding concerns over the use of police personnel for private protection while communities grapple with insecurity.

“This latest large-scale redeployment seeks to rectify that imbalance by returning thousands of officers to their primary mission: community policing,” he said.

According to him, the affected personnel have already been integrated into frontline security structures across key states.

States expected to witness an immediate increase in security personnel include Kwara State, Plateau State, Benue State, Kogi State, Nasarawa State, Niger State and the Federal Capital Territory.

The minister also disclosed that security had been reinforced around places of worship.

“Security has also been strengthened around places of worship, including increased visible presence around churches during Sunday services, in coordination with community and faith leaders,” he added.

The decision followed a deadly terrorist attack in Kwara State, where gunmen killed at least 75 villagers.

The attackers reportedly struck the Woro community and the neighbouring Nuku area in Kwara North at about 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, burning shops, setting the residence of a traditional ruler ablaze and forcing residents to flee into nearby bushes.

Idris said the counter-terrorism strategy of President Bola Tinubu remained locally driven.

According to him, the government is, however, open to strategic cooperation with international partners where it aligns with national interests, particularly in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support.

He reiterated the administration’s commitment to restoring peace and ensuring that Nigerians can live and worship freely without fear.

The Northern States Governors’ Forum condemned the killings in Kwara, Katsina and Benue states, describing the attacks as “barbaric, senseless, and a direct assault on the collective conscience of the nation.”

Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, also described the incident as a “pure massacre,” confirming that the victims had been buried.

In response to the violence, President Tinubu has ordered the deployment of an army battalion to Kwara State to reinforce security operations and prevent further attacks.