President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday directed the immediate deployment of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel to take over VIP protection nationwide, after insisting withdrawal of the Police.
Speaking at the 11th Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, the president reaffirmed his earlier order withdrawing police officers assigned to Very Important Persons (VIPs) and said the Interior Ministry must ensure that Civil Defence officers replace the withdrawn police personnel without delay.
“The Minister of Interior should liaise with the IGP and the Civil Defence structure to replace those police officers who are on special security duties, so that you don’t leave people exposed,” Mr Tinubu said at the meeting held inside the State House, Abuja.
The directive signals the administration’s move to reposition the NSCDC as the primary agency responsible for protecting high-risk public officials, business leaders and other VIPs—an area long dominated by the police.
The president said the Civil Defence Corps is sufficiently armed and institutionally prepared to take on expanded protection duties, adding that the shift is part of a broader effort to free up police personnel for core internal security operations.
“I know some of our people are exposed, and I understand the need for exceptional provision. But Civil Defence officers are equally armed, and they must assume these responsibilities,” he said.
Mr Tinubu directed the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to form a committee to review the country’s protection architecture in line with the new policy.
The withdrawal of police from VIP duties is one of the administration’s strategies to address severe manpower gaps in the Nigeria Police Force amid rising kidnapping and terrorism cases.
“We face challenges of kidnapping and terrorism; we need all the forces we can utilise,” the president said, insisting that the policy must be fully enforced across all levels of government.
In another directive, Mr Tinubu asked the NSA to prioritise the arming and rapid deployment of forest guards to reinforce rural and forest security, describing the matter as urgent.
The president also tasked state governors to rehabilitate grazing reserves and convert them into ranches or livestock settlements. He said Nigeria must end its cycle of farmer-herder conflicts and reposition livestock production as an economic asset.
“The opportunity is there; let’s utilise it,” he told cabinet members, adding that the National Economic Council should identify viable locations for livestock development.
