The Inspector General of Police has approved the immediate redeployment of officers attached to No. 24 Police Mobile Force Presidential Escort at the State House in Abuja, directing that they return to their respective state commands across the country in line with ongoing police reforms.
The directive was contained in a police signal dated December 16, 2025, with reference number CH 5660 WEL FHQ ABJ VOL 96. The signal instructed senior police formations nationwide to implement the redeployment without delay and ensure strict compliance with the order.
Issued by the Department of Finance and Administration, Welfare Unit, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the signal was addressed to the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations, Assistant Inspectors General overseeing the Police Mobile Force and zonal commands, as well as Commissioners of Police in all states of the federation.
According to the directive, the officers affected are those deployed for close protection and escort duties at the Presidential Villa. They are to disengage from their current assignments in Abuja and immediately report back to their respective state commands and zones for redeployment to core policing duties.
States listed to receive the redeployed officers include Adamawa, Kebbi, Kaduna, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, and the Federal Capital Territory. Other states named in the directive are Imo, Jigawa, Kogi, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe.
In addition to state commands, the redeployment also covers police zones, including Zone One in Kano, Zone Three in Yola, and Zone Seven in Abuja. Copies of the signal were circulated to the Chief Personal Security Officer to the President, the Commander of No. 24 Police Mobile Force in Abuja, and several police formations across the affected states and zones.
The redeployment follows an earlier directive issued by President Bola Tinubu in November, ordering the withdrawal of police officers from VIP escort and guard duties across the country. The President emphasized that police personnel should be reassigned to frontline policing roles to address rising insecurity, violent crimes, and manpower shortages within state commands.
Following the presidential directive, the Nigeria Police Force commenced enforcement measures, including the deployment of special monitoring teams to ensure that officers withdrawn from VIP protection are not redeployed to similar duties through unofficial channels. Civil Defence officers have also been assigned in some locations to replace police personnel previously attached to VIP escorts and guard details.
Security analysts have described the move as part of broader efforts to strengthen internal security operations, improve police visibility, and enhance public confidence in law enforcement. They noted that redeploying officers from elite protection duties to community and operational policing could help improve response times and crime prevention across the country.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force has not issued a separate public statement beyond the internal signal. However, police sources confirmed that the redeployment exercise is ongoing and that affected officers are expected to report to their respective commands promptly for reassignment.
The development marks another step in the Federal Government’s efforts to restructure security deployment nationwide and ensure that limited police manpower is effectively utilized to meet the country’s growing security demands.
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