The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive ordering the withdrawal of police officers from VIP escorts, describing the move as political showmanship that fails to address Nigeria’s escalating insecurity.
In a statement issued by the party’s spokesperson, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the administration appears more concerned with public perception than with developing a concrete strategy to tackle terrorism, banditry, and widespread abductions.
According to Abdullahi, the directive “makes for good headlines” but offers no real solution. He noted that similar orders were issued twice earlier in 2025 by the Inspector-General of Police—reportedly on the President’s instruction—yet none produced meaningful impact.
The party argued that even with strict implementation, redeploying VIP security officers would not significantly change the situation. Abdullahi stressed that these personnel, by training and orientation, are not equipped to handle high-level security threats ravaging the country.
The ADC also challenged the government’s claim that withdrawing VIP escorts would free up 100,000 officers for frontline operations, insisting that the real problem is capability, not headcount. It pointed out that even the military continues to struggle against highly adaptive insurgent groups.
The party further criticized the plan to replace the withdrawn police officers with personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), noting that the corps’ core functions—such as disaster management and community safety—do not align with the demands of counter-terrorism.
Abdullahi emphasized that Nigeria needs “a coherent national security strategy built on modernization, intelligence, and institutional coordination,” not cosmetic policy gestures.
The ADC called on the government to provide clear data, operational frameworks, and adequate logistics to ensure any redeployed officers can perform effectively.
“The Tinubu administration must move beyond announcements and initiate an urgent overhaul of Nigeria’s national security architecture,” the party concluded.
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