Tinubu Doubles Down On Withdrawal Of Police from VIPs

11 December 2025

President Bola Tinubu said on Wednesday that his directive withdrawing police officers from VIPs, VVIPs and ministers “is not negotiable”, insisting that every public office holder must comply immediately.

Speaking at the opening of the federal executive council meeting in Abuja, the president warned that any attempt to ignore the order would not be tolerated.

“If you have any problem because of the nature of your assignments, please contact the IGP and get my clearance,” he said.

Tinubu asked the national security adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; the minister of police affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam; and the inspector-general of police, Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure full enforcement of the directive. He said police officers were trained to protect citizens — especially the most vulnerable — and not to provide escorts for a select class of VIPs.

He added that the minister of interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, would make arrangements for the Civil Defence Corps to take over VIP protection. “The National Security and Civil Defence Corps are trained for VIP protection, and they are armed too,” he said.

Tinubu said the police would be redeployed to strengthen internal security operations. “We face challenges of kidnapping, banditry and terrorism. We need all forces utilised,” he said, adding that exceptions would be made only where necessary.

The president also directed ministers to seek clearance from the IGP if any assignment required police protection. “NSA, take this very seriously,” he added.

He then asked the vice-president, Kashim Shettima, to brief governors on the federal government’s ranching reforms. Tinubu told the minister of livestock development, Idi Muktar Maiha, to begin mobilisation in conflict-prone areas.

“The minister of livestock, see which village or grazing area can be rehabilitated for ranching. We must eliminate this area of conflict and make the livestock reform economically viable,” he said. “The opportunity is there; let’s utilise it. You should emphasise the constitutional requirement that land belongs to the state.”

Tinubu said communities affected by herder–farmer conflicts must be protected and restored.

Senators protest withdrawal of orderlies

Meanwhile, senators protested the withdrawal of their police orderlies, accusing the police of applying the directive selectively.

Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, raised a point of order during plenary to complain that his only orderly had been withdrawn while ministers, governors, business executives and even the children of public officials still moved around with police escorts.

“I saw two convoys of ministers with several security personnel,” he said. “I have also seen business concerns, Chinese and other business concerns, with their compliments of orderlies. I have seen daughters and sons of political office holders having orderlies and security covers. I cannot imagine that a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will have his only orderly withdrawn.”

He insisted that the implementation must be “across the board” and asked the senate president to direct the police affairs committee to investigate the “selective enforcement”.

Deputy senate president Barau Jibrin, who presided over plenary, said the matter had already been taken up by the leadership. He assured senators that the situation was being addressed.

“We discussed this yesterday and took action. We expect the outcome today in respect of the police orderlies withdrawn from senators,” he said. “The directive of Mr President has been flouted, and the chairman of the police affairs committee should investigate and report back.”

Barau said Tinubu’s directive was issued “in good faith” to boost internal security, and he expressed confidence that lawmakers would be exempted after the matter was reviewed.

The president recently ordered the IGP to withdraw about 11,000 police personnel assigned to VIPs nationwide as part of ongoing security reforms.