Police Retrieve 11,566 Officers From Private Duties to Bolster Rural Security
By: NaijaEnquirer Staff
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the recall and immediate redeployment of 11,566 police officers previously assigned to private and VIP duties. The decision, according to the IGP, aligns with a strategic shift to reinforce security across rural and vulnerable communities amid a surge in kidnappings, insurgency, and other violent crimes.
The announcement was made on Wednesday in Abuja during a conference with senior police commanders. Egbetokun emphasized that the move implements the Presidential Directive on the withdrawal of police personnel from VIP protection roles.
Redeployment: From Private Duties to Public Protection
“The recent Presidential Directive on the Withdrawal of Police Personnel Deployed for VIP Protection is a strategic and deliberate realignment of our national policing priorities,” the IGP stated. He stressed that the Force’s primary responsibility is the protection of citizens and communities, not private individuals.
The retrieved officers will now be deployed to frontline roles such as population protection, rural and township security fortification, enhanced visibility patrols, investigative operations, and tactical response to emerging threats.
Egbetokun cautioned against misinformation, noting that the Force will soon publish detailed implementation guidelines, including timelines, safeguards and accountability frameworks.
Intelligence-Led, Community-Centred Policing
The IGP directed Commissioners of Police to strengthen intelligence frameworks across their commands. This includes establishing lawful and confidential informant networks within markets, transport unions, farms, schools, health centres and faith institutions.
Senior commanders were also instructed to set up intelligence response cells that will analyse attack patterns, map crime corridors and transform information into tactical operations. Egbetokun called for the integration of open-source intelligence, cyber forensics and community reporting to ensure intelligence “sees crime before it erupts.”
He encouraged improved collaboration with traditional rulers, town unions, hunters, civil defence groups and youth organisations, while emphasising that policing authority must remain with the Nigeria Police Force and not be transferred to non-state actors.
Recent Incidents and Operational Responses
Egbetokun referenced several recent violent incidents, including the abduction of worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara; the kidnapping of schoolgirls in Magga Town; and the attack on St Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State. He said these incidents, even when resolved, undermine public confidence in security agencies.
He commended joint operations executed with other security services and state governments under the coordination of the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), noting that unified and intelligence-driven responses had led to successful rescues.
Arrests, Recoveries and a Tougher Posture
Providing operational statistics, the IGP revealed that 8,202 suspects were arrested in the reporting period. These included:
- 451 for armed robbery
- 356 for kidnapping
- 534 for murder and culpable homicide
- 173 for unlawful possession of firearms
- 312 for rape
- 6,095 for other serious offences
The Force also reported the recovery of firearms, ammunition and vehicles, along with the rescue of 232 kidnapped victims.
Egbetokun said policing must shift from reactive to proactive, ordering commands to subdivide territories into micro-policing sectors with defined patrol commands, timed patrol logs and night confidence patrols.
Festive Season Plans and Technology Uptake
With the festive season approaching, the IGP instructed state commands to activate enhanced highway patrols, market security deployments, anti-robbery dragnets and inter-agency collaborations to protect travel and commerce corridors.
He urged wider adoption of drones, AI-driven tools and cyber capabilities to strengthen surveillance, improve response speed and track criminal movement. Performance metrics for December deployments will include measurable ground presence and visibility hours.
Oversight, Funding and Public Confidence
The IGP expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for commitments to improve police logistics, recruitment and welfare. He stressed that the Force would demonstrate results through actions rather than rhetoric.
Egbetokun acknowledged that public trust hinges on real-world impact. He warned commanders against complacency and reminded them to adhere to professional standards and human-rights protocols.
Next Steps
The Police Force will publish official modalities for the redeployment exercise, including timelines and accountability safeguards. Commissioners of Police were instructed to immediately return to their commands to implement the new intelligence and deployment directives.
“We are not retreating from this fight. We are advancing into it,” Egbetokun declared, urging senior commanders to carry forward renewed urgency, strategic clarity and disciplined execution.
