The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has issued a nationwide directive ordering the immediate arrest of any officer found providing personal security to Very Important Persons (VIPs) outside of official duty areas, strictly enforcing a recent presidential instruction.
A confidential police wireless message, dated November 30, 2025, and issued by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, was sent to senior officers across all police formations, emphasizing the urgency and severity of the new policy.
According to Sahara Reporters, the memo, addressed to specialized units like the Mobile Police Force, VIP Protection Unit, Counter-Terrorism Force, and all state and area commands, explicitly stated that any police officer caught escorting a VIP would be immediately arrested.
The directive includes a serious warning for supervising personnel.
“Following the presidential directive to withdraw, all states to arrest any police officer found escorting any VIP in AOR yours. Disciplinary actions will also be activated against any erring supervising officer,” the memo stated.
The order restricts enforcement to Compol x-squads and the IGPMU, ensuring strict monitoring and compliance across all commands.
The memo was marked “very important”, signifying that this instruction is final and requires immediate adherence without further reminders.
This police directive follows an order issued on Sunday, November 23, 2025, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The President instructed the immediate withdrawal and redeployment of police officers from VIP security duties to allow them to focus on their core policing responsibilities.
The presidential directive was issued during a high-level security meeting in Abuja attended by top officials, including: Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Adeola Ajayi
