Former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor, has raised concerns over President Bola Tinubu’s directive to transfer VIP protection duties from the police to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Ejiofor, in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, insisted the corps neither has the manpower nor the training to take on such a sensitive role.
The security expert said the directive, although well-intentioned, poses operational challenges for the NSCDC.
“The NSCDC does not have the capacity; they are not trained for it. They don’t have the numbers to deploy, and their statutory function is to provide security for critical infrastructure.
“That means you would also have to train them for VIP protection, so it is a very dicey situation,” Ejiofor said on Tuesday.
Ejiofor also responded to the Nigeria Police Force’s claim that 11,566 officers were previously assigned to VIP duties.
“I watched the Force PRO when he said that 11,000 policemen have been withdrawn. That is contrary to claims even by a former chairman of the Police Service Commission, who said over 120,000 policemen were deployed to VIPs.
“A recent EU report also shows that we have over 100,000 policemen attached to VIPs. So how did we come to 11,000?” he queried.
The ex-DSS director questioned the practicality of enforcing the Inspector-General of Police’s order to arrest officers still escorting VIPs.
“As we speak, policemen are still walking around with people who have no means of livelihood, and the IG says they should be arrested. How are you going to arrest an armed policeman?
“Are you setting up a squad to look for them, or do you raise an alarm when you see them? It’s a difficult situation, and the police will be under pressure,” he warned.
Recall that on November 24, President Tinubu directed the immediate withdrawal of police personnel from VIP security assignments. The order was issued during a security meeting attended by service chiefs.
The President said VIPs seeking official protection must now obtain “well-armed personnel” from the NSCDC.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, who announced the directive, said the move aims to refocus police manpower on core law enforcement duties, especially as many remote communities remain underserved by police presence.
Amid escalating incidents of kidnappings and terrorist attacks, President Tinubu also declared a nationwide security emergency.
“By this declaration, the police and the army are authorised to recruit more personnel. The police will recruit an additional 20,000 officers, bringing the total to 50,000,” the President said in a statement he personally signed.
Tinubu said the newly recruited officers and those withdrawn from VIP duties will undergo “crash training” in upgraded police facilities and designated NYSC camps to prepare them for deployment to security-challenged areas.
