IGP Orders Nationwide Redeployment Of Presidential Escort Officers

The directive was communicated through a police signal dated December 16, 2025, issued by the Department of Finance and Administration (Welfare) at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. Senior police formations across the country were instructed to implement the redeployment without delay.

Professional briefings indicate that the order was circulated to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Assistant Inspectors-General overseeing the Police Mobile Force and zonal commands, as well as Commissioners of Police nationwide.

The redeployment affects officers who had been assigned to close-protection duties at the Presidential Villa. Under the new arrangement, the officers are to return to their respective state commands, including Adamawa, Kebbi, Kaduna, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe and the Federal Capital Territory, among several others.

Security sources confirm that dozens of officers were redistributed across the states, with notable numbers posted to the FCT, Katsina, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Sokoto, Kano, Jigawa, Kogi and Nasarawa. A few officers were also reassigned to select zonal commands, including Zones 1, 3 and 7.

The signal was copied to key security offices, including the Chief Personal Security Officer to the President, the Commander of No. 24 Police Mobile Force, Abuja, and various police formations across state capitals nationwide.

This development follows an earlier directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who in November ordered the withdrawal of police officers from VIP escort and guard duties, insisting on their redeployment to frontline policing operations to address the country’s growing security challenges.