Former lawmaker Senator Shehu Sani has reacted to President Bola Tinubu’s directive to withdraw police officers assigned to Very Important Persons (VIPs), calling the policy commendable yet warning it may fail in practice.
In a post on X on Sunday, Sani described the decision as timely given Nigeria’s pressing security challenges but expressed skepticism about its implementation, cautioning it might “begin and end up as a statement.” He said, “Withdrawal of Police from VIPs is a good idea and good policy statement in view of the nation’s urgent security needs, but it will only begin and end up as a statement.”
The directive, announced by the President’s spokesman Bayo Onanuga, seeks to redeploy police personnel to strengthen nationwide security and allow them to focus on core policing duties. Under the new arrangement, VIPs requesting protection will now rely on armed security provided by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
President Tinubu also approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers to bolster security, particularly in remote areas where shortages have hindered the protection of residents.
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