By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
The Nigerian Police Force has issued a nationwide directive ordering the immediate arrest of any officer found providing personal security to VIPs without official authorisation, following directives from the presidency.
A confidential police wireless message obtained by Sahara Reporters and dated 30 November 2025 revealed that the Inspector General of Police had directed all state commands and specialised formations to enforce the order without exception.
The communication, which was circulated to senior officers across key departments including Operations, Mobile Police Force, the VIP Protection Unit, Counter-Terrorism, Federal Operations and all state and area commands, stressed that any officer caught escorting a VIP outside an authorised duty assignment should be detained immediately.
“Following the presidential directive to withdraw, all states to arrest any police officer found escorting any VIP in AOR yours. Disciplinary actions will also be activated against any erring supervising officer,” the memo stated.
It warned that supervisors who failed to ensure compliance would also face disciplinary measures. The directive further limited enforcement to Compol x-squads and the IGPMU, while ordering strict monitoring across all commands.
Marked “very important”, the memo also noted that no further reminders would be issued.
The directive comes amid growing concerns over the misuse of police personnel by individuals who fall outside official protection entitlements.
It follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s order on 23 November 2025 directing the withdrawal of police officers from VIP security duties nationwide and redeploying them to core policing roles.
The instruction was delivered during a security meeting in Abuja attended by top security chiefs including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Waidi Shaibu; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
Under the new arrangement, VIPs seeking protection are now required to request personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, which will handle such duties going forward.
The measure forms part of wider efforts to strengthen policing capacity across the country, particularly in remote communities where manpower shortages continue to hamper effective security operations.