Nigerian IGP Egbetokun Confirms Withdrawal Of 11,566 Police Personnel From VIPs
BREAKING: Nigerian Police Order Personnel Assigned to Atiku, Wike, Aisha Buhari, 17 Other VIPs to Return to Base
Nov 27, 2025
Egbetokun assured that the implementation of the new directive would be carried out with strict oversight to prevent impersonation, misinformation, or exploitation by criminal groups. He added that comprehensive operational guidelines would soon be released.
“The withdrawal is not a retreat from responsibility, but a reclamation of it,” he stated.
The police chief noted that recent security challenges—including abductions in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger states—highlighted the need to reposition the Force and enhance nationwide security visibility.
While security agencies responded swiftly to these incidents, Egbetokun acknowledged that some Nigerians felt the police were not doing enough.
“We may not be doing enough, but it is not that we are not working. We are actually doing something. But as leaders, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard,” he said.
He highlighted several recent operational successes, including the arrest of 8,202 suspects for various crimes and the rescue of 232 kidnapped victims.
“The Nigeria Police Force has recorded multiple operational breakthroughs across its formations and tactical units, including 451 armed robbery suspects, 356 kidnapping suspects, 534 murder suspects, 129 charged with culpable homicide, 173 arrested for unlawful possession of firearms, 312 suspected rapists, and 282 suspected cultists. An additional 6,094 suspects were apprehended for other serious offences,” the IGP disclosed.
Recovered items include 249 firearms, nearly 21,000 rounds of ammunition, and 238 vehicles.
To stay ahead of criminal networks, the IGP said the Force is enhancing intelligence gathering, strengthening community engagement, and deepening inter-agency collaboration.
With the festive season approaching, Egbetokun directed all state commands to intensify security operations, including expanded highway patrols, increased visibility policing, and community-focused strategies.
“As we approach the festive season, the nation will witness its highest annual travel activity. With citizens travelling to reunite with loved ones, criminals will attempt to exploit the roads. Therefore, the roads must be decisively dominated by proactive policing and preparedness.
“I hereby charge each state command to activate festive deployment and operational plans,” he said.
The plans include upgraded highway patrol teams, reinforced foot patrols at motor parks, anti-robbery dragnets, intelligence-driven rural patrols, and inter-agency collaborations to secure major routes and community corridors.
Commands have also been instructed to deploy drones and AI-powered surveillance systems to bolster monitoring and response efforts.