Former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor has questioned President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive transferring VIP protection duties from the Nigeria Police Force to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, Ejiofor argued that the NSCDC lacks both the manpower and specialised training required for such sensitive assignments.
“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.
Ejiofor also challenged claims by the Nigeria Police Force 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“I watched the Force PRO when he said that 11,000 policemen have been withdrawn.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 questioned.
The ex-DSS chief further cited the practical challenges 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.
The directive by President Tinubu, issued on 24 November during a security meeting with service chiefs, requires VIPs seeking official protection to obtain personnel from the NSCDC.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga explained the decision as an effort to refocus police manpower on core law enforcement duties, particularly in underserved remote communities.
The move comes amid escalating kidnappings and terrorist attacks, prompting President Tinubu to declare a nationwide security emergency.
In the same statement, the President announced the recruitment of 20,000 additional police officers, bringing the total to 50,000, who will undergo “crash training” in upgraded police facilities and designated NYSC camps for deployment to high-risk areas.
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