Abuja – Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has issued a firm directive ordering the immediate arrest of any police officer found escorting VIPs who are not legally entitled to such protection. The police signal dated November 30 instructs the Monitoring Unit and Commissioners of Police overseeing X‑Squad operations to enforce the order nationwide.
The directive follows reports, first highlighted by The Nation, that several police personnel withdrawn from VIP escorts after President Bola Tinubu’s November 23 order have yet to return to their bases. President Tinubu had instructed the withdrawal of all police officers attached to private individuals, citing rising insecurity and the need to redeploy officers to protect the general public. He also advised those needing personal security to seek assistance from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Despite the police chief’s earlier announcement that over 11,000 personnel had been withdrawn, social media continued to circulate images and videos showing officers still serving non‑entitled VIPs.
In the wireless message, the IGP directed all relevant formations—including the Department of Operations, AIGs in charge of Zones, the Mobile Police Force, VIP Protection Unit, Counter‑Terrorism Unit, Federal Operations, and all state and area commands—to ensure immediate compliance. “Any police officer found escorting a VIP outside approved duty protocols must be arrested without delay,” the signal stressed, warning that supervising officers who fail to enforce the directive would face disciplinary action.
Force Public Relations Officer CSP Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the development, stating that only those legally entitled to police protection will retain their escorts. “Only those legally entitled to police protection will retain their escorts,” Hundeyin said.
The IGP’s directive aims to curb misuse of police resources and refocus efforts on protecting the broader population amid heightened insecurity.
