By Dr. Nafisat Makinde
In a comprehensive strategy to fortify national security, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the continuous recruitment of 30,000 police officers annually while ordering the immediate withdrawal of police personnel providing security for Very Important Persons (VIPs). This dual directive, issued after a high-level security meeting on Sunday, November 23, 2025, in Abuja, is designed to simultaneously expand the Nigeria Police Force’s (NPF) overall strength and immediately redistribute thousands of existing officers back to frontline community duties.
The President’s mandate instructs police authorities to redeploy officers previously on VIP duty to concentrate on their core law enforcement responsibilities, such as increasing police presence, patrols, and defense in communities. This urgent reallocation directly addresses the severe understaffing in many police stations, particularly in remote parts of Nigeria, which has undermined the force’s ability to protect citizens effectively amid widespread security challenges like banditry, kidnapping, and ethno-communal violence.
The long-term plan to recruit 30,000 new constables annually is the key component for sustained capacity growth. Though the specific timeline for the intake is still being finalized, the approval signifies a commitment to a multi-year program aimed at bridging the current manpower deficit. Furthermore, the Federal Government is actively collaborating with state governments to upgrade police training facilities nationwide, ensuring the incoming recruits and existing personnel receive robust training to enhance their operational capacity.
With the withdrawal of NPF personnel, VIPs requiring armed security protection must now direct their requests to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). This pivotal transfer of security responsibility not only frees up significant police manpower for general deployment but also institutionalizes a new framework for high-profile protection, allowing the police to focus solely on public safety. This measure is crucial, as areas like the North-West, plagued by mass abductions, and the South-East, grappling with separatist violence and communal clashes, require immediate increases in boots on the ground.
The decisive security meeting took place in Abuja and was attended by key service chiefs and heads of security agencies. Participants included the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Waidi Shaibu; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Adeola Ajayi. The attendance of these high-ranking officials underscores the unified governmental approach to implementing this strategic security overhaul.
The immediate effect of the order is the re-prioritization of community policing over personal protection for the privileged class. The combined effort the prompt redeployment of officers and the upcoming influx of 30,000 new recruits annually demonstrates a strong commitment from President Tinubu to boost security presence and tackle the pervasive security challenges facing the country, particularly in regions where state presence has been critically thin.
