President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday tied the withdrawal of police escorts from VIPs to broader security reforms aimed at responding to rising kidnappings and strengthening overstretched law-enforcement agencies.
Speaking before the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, the President restated his directive to redeploy police personnel from VIP protection to front-line duties.
“I honestly believe in what I said… It should be effected. If you have any problem because of the nature of your assignment, contact the IGP and get my clearance,” he said.
He instructed the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to work with the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to replace withdrawn escorts so that “you don’t leave people exposed.”
Tinubu said the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Department of State Services would provide guidance on implementing the order. “NSA and DSS will provide further information and form themselves the committee and review the structure,” he added.
The President linked the enforcement push to recent abductions. “We are facing challenges of kidnapping. We need all the forces we have on the ground, fully utilised,” he said. He added that civil defence personnel should assume VIP protection where necessary.
Tinubu also confirmed that forest guards would be armed. “I have directed the NSA to arm our forest guards, too. Take it seriously,” he said.
The President assigned Vice-President Kashim Shettima to lead livestock-sector reforms through the National Economic Council, directing him to identify grazing reserves that can be restored and converted into ranches.
“The Vice President should get the NEC first of all to see which villages or grazing reserves can be salvaged or rehabilitated into ranches, livestock settlements,” he said.
He argued that the initiative was intended to reduce farmer-herder conflicts and reposition the livestock economy.
“We must eliminate the possibility of conflicts and turn the livestock reform into economically viable development. The opportunity is there. Let’s utilise it,” he stated. “And it is in NEC, if we exercise the constitutional requirement which states that the land belongs to the states, whichever one they can salvage, convert to a livestock village, let us stop this conflict area and turn it into economic opportunities and prosperity.”
Wednesday’s remarks came three weeks after Tinubu first ordered the withdrawal of police officers from VIPs following mass abductions in Kebbi, Kwara and Niger States.
The policy has drawn public scrutiny, including from Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, who recently questioned the scale of security assigned to a young individual he later learned was the President’s son.
