PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday directed ministers and senior officials to seek his approval before requesting police escorts for official assignments.
Tinubu gave the directive at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the State House, Abuja.
He said security lapses often occur when officers are reassigned without adequate replacement planning, stressing the need for tighter coordination among agencies.
“I have told the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and I hope the Minister of Police Affairs is here to implement the directive.
“If you have any problem with security, because of the nature of your assignment, please, contact the IGP and get my clearance,” he reiterated.
The President also ordered the Minister of Interior to work with the IGP and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to fill the gaps created by officers deployed on special duties.
“The minister of interior should liaise with the I-GP and Civil Defence structure to replace those police officers, who are on special security duties, so that you don’t leave people exposed.”
He instructed the National Security Adviser and the DSS to review the nation’s security structure and implement necessary adjustments. “The NSA and the DSS should provide further information,” he said.
Tinubu said the directive must be enforced immediately because of heightened security threats across the country.
The President said some officials face high exposure risks, adding that forest guards must also be equipped to strengthen community protection.
“I know some of our people are exposed and I understand that we have to make exceptional provision for them.
“The civil defence are equally armed and I want to know from NSA if we are to arm our forest guards too. We should take it very seriously,” he said.
Tinubu also asked the Vice President to engage the National Economic Council on reviving grazing reserves and developing ranches as part of livestock reform.
The President said resolving recurring herder–farmer conflicts requires turning salvageable lands into productive livestock hubs.
“We must eliminate the possibility of conflicts and turn the livestock reform into economically viable development. The opportunity is there let’s utilise it.”
He added that states must drive the process in line with constitutional land ownership. (NAN)
The president had on November 23, 2025 ordered the withdrawal of police personnel attached to VIPs nationwide. He also directed that the officers be redeployed to strengthen core policing duties across communities.
Meanwhile, the Senate on Wednesday sought for an exemption from the presidential directive for the withdrawal of police personnel attached to VIPs nationwide.
The upper chamber’s request was sequel to a Point of Order on Privilege raised by Sen. Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi) during plenary.
In his point of order, Ningi complained about the withdrawal of his only police orderly, while many political office holders in the country were still enjoying police cover.
He demanded that it should be done across board in the spirit of fairness and equity.
Ningi said: “Mr President, I’ve been around this National Assembly since 1999. Right from 1999, I was having one police orderly.
“I have never questioned any additional security personnel. I woke up today and I was told my police orderly and other police orderlies had been withdrawn.
“Mr President, I don’t have any problem with that. My problem is that this thing should go across the board.
“Let’s see what happens from the Office of the President, to the Vice-President, to the Senate President, to the Speaker of the House, to the Ministers.
“After they had withdrawn my orderly, I saw two convoys of ministers and they were carrying lots of security personnel.
“I have also seen daughters and sons of political office holders having orderlies and having security covers. Mr President, I have seen singers having orderlies.
“I cannot ever imagine that a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who has been here for a very long time having only one orderly and he was withdrawn.”
“This is unheard of in any democracy. And that’s why I said this is a matter that insults me; it concerns me; it is not right and it should be taken with all the seriousness it deserves,” he said.
The senator urged the Senate President to ask the Chairman of the Committee on Police to please investigate why other people were having security covers in spite of the presidential order.
“You cannot just put the national assembly as scape goats while others enjoy the privileges of security control,” he said.
In his remarks, Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who presided over plenary, said that the leadership of the senate had a meeting on the issue.
“Yesterday, I’m sure you saw us, we had a leadership meeting. This was discussed and we took an action and we expect the outcome of that action to be available to us today.
“It is of concern to us and I will raise the issue. And we’re dealing with that. We will be at the top of the situation,” Barau said.
He assured that the issue raised would be taken seriously, stressing: “I’m sure we have a president who listens to us and, by the grace of God, he will exempt us from that order.
“We all stand by Mr President in his effort to deal with the security problem in our country.
“The president is doing very well and we always commend him because we know what he’s doing,” he said. (NAN)
