IGP Confirms Withdrawal of 11,566 Officers

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has announced that 11,566 police personnel have been successfully withdrawn from security duties previously assigned to Very Important Persons (VIPs). This move comes as a direct result of a presidential directive aimed at returning officers to core policing functions.

President Bola Tinubu had issued the order during a security meeting held on Sunday in Abuja with the heads of the military and security agencies. The goal is to redeploy the affected officers to focus on their primary duties of maintaining public safety and order.

The presidential directive stipulates that VIPs who require armed protection must now submit requests for personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) instead of relying on the police.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the Inspector-General confirmed the implementation and expressed considerable relief that the presidential order had lifted pressure from his office. “We have already withdrawn 11,566 personnel. We have given directives for that,” he stated.

The IGP took the opportunity to counter what he termed misleading figures circulating in social media. He dismissed claims that 120,000 police officers were attached to private individuals, labeling the figure as untrue and ridiculous given the overall strength of the Nigeria Police Force.

Egbetokun clarified that the recent presidential directive allowed them to accurately discover the actual figure: “11,566 policemen are engaged in VIP protection as at today in Nigeria Police Force.”

He noted that the police had attempted to implement a similar withdrawal recently, during which officers were recalled and private individuals were asked to reapply for protection after profiling. However, he stressed that the presidential order guarantees more effective implementation.

“Now that it is a presidential order, there will be no pressure on the IG,” he said, suggesting that the order provides a shield to fully implement a directive the force has long sought to enforce.

The IGP predicted the success of the new policy: “I know that nobody is going to call IG again, to say ‘please, these are my people.’ No governor is going to call me, no minister is going to call me.”

He emphasized the strategic advantage of the massive manpower recovery. “We are returning to our frontline policing function, especially at this critical time,” he said, noting that the surplus of 11,566 personnel will significantly address manpower shortages.

Egbetokun concluded by assuring that the welfare of the redeployed officers will be a top priority. He stated that the President, who issued the directive, understands the importance of their well-being, confirming that any officer sent to remote or rural communities will have their welfare adequately taken care of.