By Peter Omopo
The Presidency has called on Nigerians to help enforce President Bola Tinubu’s directive ordering the withdrawal of police escorts from VIPs by reporting anyone found violating the policy.
The appeal was made by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Daniel Bwala, during a TV interview on Sunday. Bwala emphasised that public participation was crucial to ensuring full compliance with the executive order.
“If you identify a celebrity, a private sector individual, or anyone who still has police escorts against the president’s directive, capture evidence — a photograph or video — as much as you can,” Bwala said.
Withdrawal Not Applicable to All Officials
Bwala clarified that the directive does not affect every government official, noting that some key public office holders would continue to receive security protection due to the sensitive nature of their roles.
“The order is not all-encompassing. There are critical people in government who will still have one form of security or another,” he said.
He added that where protection is necessary, other security agencies such as the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) would provide escorts instead of the police.
“It could be SSS, Civil Defence, and not the police. Police have no business being with you,” he stated.
Policy Aimed at Refocusing Police on Core Duties
The directive aligns with the administration’s broader effort to free police personnel from VIP protection duties and redeploy them to essential policing functions across the country.
PUNCH Online earlier reported that President Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of all police officers attached to Very Important Persons nationwide, directing their reassignment to core law enforcement and community policing tasks.
Public Participation Encouraged
The presidency’s call for citizen reporting underscores the government’s determination to curb misuse of police resources and ensure accountability among privileged individuals who may attempt to evade the new policy.
The public is encouraged to document and report non-compliance through appropriate channels as the enforcement phase continues.
The move comes amid longstanding concerns about the disproportionate number of police personnel assigned to protect VIPs, leaving inadequate manpower for general security operations.
