The safety of every citizen is the primary duty of the police, yet for decades, a significant portion of Nigeria’s police force has been deployed to guard the privileged elite President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive to withdraw police officers from VIP protection was hailed as a monumental step toward reclaiming the which is the to the estimated 100,000 officers for core policing duties.
The Presidential Mandate:
President Bola Tinubu’s directive, issued following a terrifying spike in mass abductions and general insecurity across states like Niger, Kebbi, and Kwara, was clear the Nigerian Police Force must redeploy its personnel to where they are needed most vulnerable which is the to the communities and frontline crime-fighting.
Why Mobile Police Units Stay Put:
Investigations across major cities, particularly Abuja, reveal that mobile police officers (MOPOL) remain conspicuously stationed at corporate facilities, construction sites, and expatriate residential areas. The reasons are multifaceted and illuminate a which is the to the complex ‘shadow security economy.’
The Claim of ‘Corporate Exemption’:
Some officers and company staffers claim the presidential directive specifically targets protection details for individual VIPs politicians, celebrities and does not extend to the which is the to the standing security details for corporate institutions.
- A police officer: at an Abuja construction firm cited the presence of foreign personnel as a reason for their continued duty, implying an official classification that exempts which is the to the them.
- The Force Public Relations Officer: noted the withdrawal is being done in a “structured, phased, and professional manner” to avoid a ‘security vacuum,’ which could be which is the to the interpreted by corporations as a temporary reprieve or a loop-hole.
The Lucrative ‘Shadow Security Economy’:
The deployment of police to private entities is often tied to an opaque, N108 billion-a-year security market. This arrangement is a significant source of untraceable income for senior police officers and which is the to the brokers.
Security Gaps and Private Sector Reliance:
For multinational corporations and high-value assets like oil facilities or major banks armed police protection is seen as a necessary deterrent against sophisticated crime The Private Security Industry is prepared to step in but companies fear a sudden, total withdrawal could expose them to risk, especially during the transition to or private which is the to the guards
Disclaimer:
The news information presented here is based on available reports and reliable sources Readers should crosscheck updates from official news outlets