Abuja, November 24, 2025 – In a decisive response to escalating abductions and insecurity across Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate withdrawal of over 100,000 police officers currently assigned to protect Very Important Persons (VIPs) and politicians. These officers are to be redeployed to core policing duties, including counter-insurgency operations and enhancing security in underserved rural communities.
The directive was issued during a high-level security meeting on Sunday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, attended by service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun. According to a statement from Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, VIPs requiring armed protection will now apply to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for personnel, freeing up the police force for frontline roles. This move addresses long-standing concerns that a significant portion of Nigeria’s police strength—estimated at a quarter of the total force—has been overstretched on VIP guard duties, leaving communities vulnerable.
To bolster the police capacity further, President Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional officers. The federal government is also collaborating with state governments to upgrade police training facilities nationwide, with a committee headed by Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah overseeing the initiative. The new deployment strategy aims to significantly boost police visibility and response times amid rising threats from bandits, terrorists, and other criminal elements.
This policy shift comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s “bleeding” security situation, as described by Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi in a recent statement. Obi lamented the wave of violence over the past 10 days, including kidnappings of senior officials, the execution of a Brigadier General, and attacks on worshippers, blaming leaders for prioritizing “comfort over courage, politics over people, and power over purpose.” He emphasized that no nation can survive on excuses or indifferent leadership, urging a focus on human life above political interests.
Echoing these concerns, Bishop David Oyedepo, Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, has renewed longstanding warnings about attacks on churches and Christian communities. Speaking during the 4th Pre-Shiloh Encounter Service on November 23, Oyedepo described recent incidents—where several worshippers were killed and others abducted—as “worrisome” and a direct assault on innocent lives. He noted that he has issued such alerts for 15 years, stressing that the blood of victims is “crying out for vengeance” and that perpetrators will face divine consequences. The cleric declared Nigeria’s spiritual identity indestructible and insisted the country will never become an Islamic state, while calling for urgent national and spiritual intervention. To combat the insecurity, Oyedepo directed church members to embark on seven days of midnight prayers starting immediately, urging Christians nationwide to join in intensive spiritual warfare to prevent descent into anarchy.
The redeployment order and recruitment plan have elicited mixed reactions. Former Senator Shehu Sani praised it as a “good policy” but expressed skepticism, stating on X that it might “begin and end up as a statement” without full implementation.
These developments follow a string of alarming incidents underscoring the urgency of the President’s actions. In Borno State, suspected Boko Haram terrorists abducted 12 female farmers in Mussa district, Askira-Uba Local Government Area, on Saturday evening around 5 p.m. while they were returning from their farmlands. The Borno State Police Public Relations Officer, Nahum Daso, confirmed the abduction and stated that an investigation is underway, with security efforts ongoing to rescue the victims. Separately, Boko Haram militants razed down 25 newly constructed buildings intended for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Gamboru Ngala, another area in Borno, displacing returnees who had sought refuge in IDP camps due to prior violence.
In Bauchi State, five policemen were killed and two others injured in a bandit ambush on a patrol team in Sabon Sara village, Darazo Local Government Area, on Saturday night. The fallen officers were identified as DSP Ahmad Muhammad (State Intelligence Department), ASP Mustapha Muhammad (10 PMF), Inspector Amarhel Yunusa (10 PMF), Inspector Idris Ahmed (10 PMF), and Corporal Isah Muazu (Anti-Kidnapping Unit). The combined team from the Rapid Response Squad, Mobile Police 10 PMF, Anti-Kidnapping Unit, and State Intelligence Department was on an intelligence-led patrol to curb farmer-herder conflicts when ambushed by unidentified assailants, described by police as “unidentified Fulani youths.” Bauchi State Police Commissioner Sani-Omolori Aliyu visited the scene to commiserate with families and assess the situation, vowing continued commitment to public safety. Police spokesman Ahmed Wakil affirmed the command’s resolve to remain “fierce, tireless, and relentless.”
President Tinubu’s directive signals a broader restructuring of Nigeria’s security architecture, prioritizing community protection over elite safeguards as the nation grapples with persistent threats. Security analysts anticipate that, if effectively executed, these measures could mark a turning point in addressing the multifaceted insecurity plaguing the country.
Tinubu Orders Redeployment of 100,000 Police from VIPs to Frontlines
