The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised concerns over President Bola Tinubu’s police redeployment order, saying it prioritizes optics over the urgent need to tackle terrorism, banditry, and violent crime.
In a statement on Monday, the party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the directive reflects a limited understanding of the depth and complexity of Nigeria’s insecurity. The ADC argued that similar measures in the past produced little effect, noting that while the move “makes for good headlines,” it does not address the structural deficiencies undermining the nation’s security agencies.
The party added that even if officers are redeployed to frontline duties, their training and orientation do not equip them to confront insurgents who have challenged even the military.
According to the ADC, “A country battling terrorism, banditry, mass abductions, and violent crime cannot afford to confuse public relations with policy. Withdrawing police escorts from VIPs may appeal to public sentiment but fails to tackle the root causes of insecurity or strengthen the operational capacity of security agencies”.
The ADC also questioned the government’s claim that the directive would free up 100,000 police personnel, demanding clarity on the data, operational plan, and logistics required to make such redeployments effective.
It further criticized the decision to replace police officers with personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, whose mandate primarily focuses on disaster management, community protection, and safety awareness.
The party insisted that Nigeria needs a coherent, modern national security strategy that integrates all security agencies into a coordinated counter-insurgency framework.
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