Police: Only Statutorily Entitled Officials Will Retain Security Until Tinubu Issues Fresh Directive
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Force PRO, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigeria Police Force has said government officials who are legally entitled to police protection will continue to receive it until President Bola Tinubu issues new guidance, amid the ongoing withdrawal of officers from VIPs.
Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, clarified the directive on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. He stressed that the presidential order withdrawing police from private individuals is being fully implemented.
“The directive is absolute, and the enforcement is absolute,” he said. “It’s not about the highest bidder or asking for more money. The instruction is to withdraw officers, and that’s what we’ve done.”
Hundeyin said some officials — including governors and judges — are statutorily entitled to police protection and will retain it until further notice, though he declined to disclose the full list.
He added that 11,000 officers previously attached to VIPs have been withdrawn and will undergo retraining before redeployment to police divisions, school-protection squads and military operations.
Responding to European Union claims that 100,000 officers were attached to VIPs, Hundeyin said the figure was inaccurate and based on a different scope of assessment.
“We’ll say it again: 11,000 officers attached to VIPs have been withdrawn,” he said.
He added that those legally entitled will retain their security until the Presidency issues further instructions.
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Hussaini Ibrahim