Nigerian Police Order Immediate Withdrawal Of Mobile Force Personnel From VIPs Nationwide
The Nigeria Police Force has ordered all Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel attached to Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country to be withdrawn with immediate effect.
This directive was issued by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Mobile Police (AIG MOPOL), in a signal circulated from Force Headquarters, Abuja, to all Mobile Police Squadrons numbered 1 to 84.
According to the communication, the order follows “the prevailing security concerns in the country.”
All Commanders of the Mobile Police Squadrons were directed to withdraw their personnel from VIP protection duties and other non-essential assignments without delay.
The signal, obtained by newsmen on Tuesday, further stated that all officers withdrawn from VIP escorts are to be redeployed to reinforce general public security operations nationwide while the Police await further details on the implementation strategy for the presidential directive on the withdrawal.
Despite the withdrawal from VIP duties, the AIG MOPOL instructed commanders to “ensure that critical infrastructures like oil installations and banks are protected”.
All squadron commanders were mandated to acknowledge receipt of the directive and ensure full compliance.
On Sunday, Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed that police officers assigned to provide security for VIPs across the country be withdrawn from such duties and redeployed to focus on their core policing responsibilities.
The presidential directive was issued during a security meeting on Sunday in Abuja, which brought together top officials, 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.
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Under the new arrangement, VIPs seeking protection will now be required to request well-armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
