The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says it has recorded a “high and commendable level of compliance” with President Bola Tinubu’s directive ordering the withdrawal of police personnel from VIP escort and guard duties nationwide.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Force Public Relations Officer CSP Benjamin Hundeyin said a special enforcement team deployed by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, conducted a monitoring exercise across key locations in Lagos State. The team began operations at about 10:00 a.m. on 6 December 2025, inspecting high-traffic areas such as the Lekki–Ikoyi Link Bridge, the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, and other strategic points.
According to the report, no unauthorised police escorts were sighted and no arrests were made. The IGP described the outcome as evidence of the Force’s commitment to fully enforcing the presidential directive. He noted that officers withdrawn from VIP duties would be redeployed to essential policing roles, including crime prevention, intelligence gathering, community safety, and other security operations.
Egbetokun emphasised that the withdrawal directive is a key part of ongoing reforms designed to strengthen policing capacity nationwide by ensuring that manpower is directed toward public safety rather than private protection. He assured Nigerians that enforcement would continue across all states “without fear or favour.”
The NPF appealed for public cooperation as it advances toward a more professional, citizen-focused policing system, promising transparency and strict adherence to the new policy.
President Tinubu’s directive seeks to address manpower shortages within the police by ending the longstanding practice of assigning officers to individuals for escort and guard services.
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