Opinion
THE issue of police escorts attached to politicians, wealthy individuals and influential personalities in Nigeria has continued to generate concern among citizens who believe that the primary duty of the police is gradually being abandoned.
Few months ago, Bola Tinubu gave a marching order to the immediate past Inspector General of Police to withdraw police escorts from VIPs and redeploy officers to conventional policing duties across the country. The directive was widely applauded by Nigerians who saw it as a bold step towards strengthening community policing and improving public security.
At the initial stage, the police hierarchy appeared to comply with the presidential order. Many police escorts attached to private individuals and politicians were reportedly withdrawn, while assurances were given that more officers would be deployed to streets, highways and crime-prone communities. Citizens expected that such redeployment would boost confidence in the police and improve response to insecurity across the nation.
However, weeks after the announcement, it now appears that the reverse has gradually become the reality. Across several cities in Nigeria today, one still sees politicians, captains of industry, businessmen and other influential persons moving around with heavily armed police escorts and long convoys. In some cases, private individuals who hold no constitutional office are accompanied by multiple security personnel, thereby raising questions about the sincerity and enforcement of the original directive.
The growing return of police escorts to VIPs has continued to reduce the number of officers available for ordinary policing duties. At a time when many communities are battling armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism and other violent crimes, it is difficult to justify why a significant number of officers should still be attached to a privileged few. Many Nigerians have repeatedly complained that police presence is hardly visible in residential areas, yet armed escorts are readily available for the elite class.
It is important to recall that President Tinubu had directed that individuals who genuinely require security protection should seek such services through the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The intention behind that directive was to reduce the burden on the police and allow them to focus on their constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property. Unfortunately, many influential Nigerians still seem to prefer police, military or DSS protection, perhaps because of the prestige and authority associated with such security formations.
Nevertheless, commendation should be given to the current Inspector General of Police, Tunde Disu, for the institutional reforms and administrative measures he is reportedly implementing within the force. Efforts aimed at improving professionalism, discipline and operational efficiency deserve encouragement from Nigerians.
The police leadership must continue to pursue reforms capable of restoring public trust in the institution.
Despite these commendable efforts, there is still a strong need for stricter supervision of Divisional Police Officers and other field commanders who often come under pressure from influential individuals seeking police protection. In many cases, local police authorities may find it difficult to resist requests from powerful politicians, businessmen and traditional elites. Without firm monitoring and accountability mechanisms, the presidential directive may continue to be undermined at different levels of the police structure.
The Inspector General of Police must therefore ensure that any officer who violates the presidential order on withdrawal of police protection from unauthorized VIPs faces appropriate disciplinary action. Enforcement must go beyond public statements and internal circulars. There should be regular audits of police personnel attached to individuals, while sanctions should be imposed on officers and commanders found culpable of abuse or illegal deployment of personnel. Such decisive actions will send a strong message that the era of indiscriminate use of police escorts is gradually coming to an end.
Beyond the immediate issue of police escorts, both the federal and state governments must fast-track discussions and actions towards the establishment of state police. Nigeria’s security challenges have become too enormous for a centralized policing structure alone to handle effectively. Properly regulated state police structures could complement federal policing efforts, improve intelligence gathering and enhance the protection of lives and properties at the grassroots level. Ultimately, the success of any policing reform will depend on political will, discipline within security agencies and the commitment to place public interest above elite privileges.
***Tochukwu Jimo Obi writes from Obosi, Anambra State.
Oyo School Abductions: Time for Concrete Action Against Terrorism.
The recent kidnapping of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has once again exposed the frightening state of insecurity confronting Nigeria. Condemnations have continued to trail Friday’s bandits’ attack on three schools in the area, where an unspecified number of students and teachers were abducted, while two persons were reportedly killed. The tragedy has left families devastated and communities gripped by fear, as another painful chapter is added to the growing list of violent attacks across the country.
The attack, which occurred on May 16, saw armed bandits storm the community and abduct staff, students, and pupils from three schools; Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School. Eyewitness accounts revealed that the attackers operated for hours without resistance, moving freely through the area while terrified residents watched helplessly. The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of schools and the preparedness of security agencies to respond swiftly to emergencies.
Worst of all, one of the teachers kidnapped during the attack was reportedly beheaded by the terrorists, a horrifying development that has deepened public outrage. Such brutality underscores the dangerous evolution of criminal activities in Nigeria, where terrorists and bandits now operate with alarming boldness and cruelty. The gruesome killing has further strengthened calls for urgent and decisive action from government authorities at all levels.
This unfortunate incident of school attacks is happening yet again despite repeated assurances from security agencies that schools across the country are safe. Nigerians have continued to hear promises of improved intelligence gathering, stronger patrols, and enhanced protection for vulnerable communities, yet attacks persist with devastating consequences. The contradiction between official assurances and the reality on the ground has weakened public confidence in the nation’s security architecture.
Another disturbing trend is that insecurity is rapidly spreading into the South-West region, an area once considered relatively safer compared to other parts of the country. Reports of Lakurawa terrorists and other armed groups establishing footholds in parts of the region have heightened fears that criminal networks are expanding their operations unchecked. The Oyo school kidnapping has therefore become more than a local tragedy; it is a warning sign that no region in Nigeria can afford to feel immune from terrorism and banditry.
Every now and then, government officials continue to assure citizens that security agencies are on top of the situation, yet many innocent people are still being killed and abducted with little or no arrests made afterward. More troubling is the fact that these attacks reportedly lasted for over two hours without any intervention from security operatives. This glaring security failure leaves Nigerians asking difficult but necessary questions about the nation’s emergency response capabilities.
How could terrorists, moving in large numbers on motorbikes, invade communities, abduct many people, and still escape without being tracked, stopped, or pursued effectively? What then are the military aircraft and advanced security equipment acquired with public funds meant for if they cannot be quickly deployed during emergencies? These are questions that citizens deserve answers to, especially as insecurity continues to consume lives and livelihoods across the country.
The Oyo incident has once again strengthened arguments for the establishment of state police across Nigeria. It is now obvious and evidently clear that the country’s centralized security structure requires urgent decentralization, similar to what operates in many secure nations around the world. State policing, if properly regulated and managed, could improve intelligence gathering, rapid response, and community-based security operations, particularly in rural areas that are often neglected under the current system.
It is no longer enough for leaders to merely condemn these attacks without taking concrete and sustained actions to secure the nation. President Bola Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, must urgently engage all stakeholders in the security sector, including international partners where necessary, to ensure that these terrorists are decisively defeated. Government must also ensure that budgeted funds meant for security agencies, especially for the purchase of military hardware and equipment, are fully released and properly utilized. Beyond military action, authorities must intensify efforts to prevent the recruitment of vulnerable youths into criminal and terrorist groups. Nigerians are tired of mourning innocent victims. These killings must stop.
***Tochukwu Jimo Obi, a concerned Nigerian, writes from Obosi Anambra state.
A.I
May 22, 2026
Tags: Tochukwu Jimo Obi