IGP Kayode Egbetokun Orders Commissioners to Redeploy Withdrawn VIP Police Escorts to Anti-Crime Operations Nationwide, Places SPU Bases Under State Command Control
Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has directed all state Commissioners of Police to take immediate control of Special Protection Unit (SPU) bases in their jurisdictions and redeploy officers withdrawn from VIP protection duties to frontline anti-crime operations across the country. The order was conveyed in an internal wireless message issued by the Department of Operations (DOPS) at Force Headquarters, Abuja, dated January 5, 2026, and obtained by SaharaReporters.
According to the directive, all personnel previously assigned to VIP escort services are to be reassigned to conventional policing roles aimed at crime prevention, detection, and response, reflecting a force-wide strategy to strengthen operational capacity amid rising insecurity nationwide. Commissioners were also instructed to organise training programmes for redeployed officers “where necessary” to ensure effectiveness in their new assignments.
In addition, each state command is required to submit a comprehensive list of the affected personnel to Force Headquarters for documentation, oversight, and monitoring, while acknowledging receipt of the directive for “strict compliance.”
The move places SPU bases under the direct command of state police formations and signals a significant policy shift away from elite protection toward bolstering routine policing. Analysts view the decision as part of broader efforts by the police leadership to optimise manpower deployment, curb crime more aggressively, and restore public confidence in internal security operations across Nigeria.
Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has directed all state Commissioners of Police to take immediate control of Special Protection Unit (SPU) bases in their jurisdictions and redeploy officers withdrawn from VIP protection duties to frontline anti-crime operations across the country. The order was conveyed in an internal wireless message issued by the Department of Operations (DOPS) at Force Headquarters, Abuja, dated January 5, 2026, and obtained by SaharaReporters.
According to the directive, all personnel previously assigned to VIP escort services are to be reassigned to conventional policing roles aimed at crime prevention, detection, and response, reflecting a force-wide strategy to strengthen operational capacity amid rising insecurity nationwide. Commissioners were also instructed to organise training programmes for redeployed officers “where necessary” to ensure effectiveness in their new assignments.
In addition, each state command is required to submit a comprehensive list of the affected personnel to Force Headquarters for documentation, oversight, and monitoring, while acknowledging receipt of the directive for “strict compliance.”
The move places SPU bases under the direct command of state police formations and signals a significant policy shift away from elite protection toward bolstering routine policing. Analysts view the decision as part of broader efforts by the police leadership to optimise manpower deployment, curb crime more aggressively, and restore public confidence in internal security operations across Nigeria.
IGP Kayode Egbetokun Orders Commissioners to Redeploy Withdrawn VIP Police Escorts to Anti-Crime Operations Nationwide, Places SPU Bases Under State Command Control
Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has directed all state Commissioners of Police to take immediate control of Special Protection Unit (SPU) bases in their jurisdictions and redeploy officers withdrawn from VIP protection duties to frontline anti-crime operations across the country. The order was conveyed in an internal wireless message issued by the Department of Operations (DOPS) at Force Headquarters, Abuja, dated January 5, 2026, and obtained by SaharaReporters.
According to the directive, all personnel previously assigned to VIP escort services are to be reassigned to conventional policing roles aimed at crime prevention, detection, and response, reflecting a force-wide strategy to strengthen operational capacity amid rising insecurity nationwide. Commissioners were also instructed to organise training programmes for redeployed officers “where necessary” to ensure effectiveness in their new assignments.
In addition, each state command is required to submit a comprehensive list of the affected personnel to Force Headquarters for documentation, oversight, and monitoring, while acknowledging receipt of the directive for “strict compliance.”
The move places SPU bases under the direct command of state police formations and signals a significant policy shift away from elite protection toward bolstering routine policing. Analysts view the decision as part of broader efforts by the police leadership to optimise manpower deployment, curb crime more aggressively, and restore public confidence in internal security operations across Nigeria.
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