The Inspector-General of Police has approved the immediate withdrawal of officers attached to the No. 24 Police Mobile Force Presidential Escort at the State House, Abuja, and has directed them to return to their respective state commands nationwide.
The directive was conveyed in a police signal issued on December 16, 2025, by the Department of Finance and Administration (Welfare) at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. The signal instructed senior police officers and formations to ensure the redeployment is carried out without delay.
The message was circulated to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Assistant Inspectors-General overseeing the Police Mobile Force and zonal commands, and Commissioners of Police nationwide.
It confirmed that the affected officers were assigned to close protection duties at the Presidential Villa.
Under the new posting arrangement, the officers have been redeployed to their home states and other commands nationwide.
Copies of the signal were also sent to the President’s Chief Personal Security Officer, the Commander of No. 24 Police Mobile Force in Abuja, and police commands in several state capitals and major cities.
The redeployment follows an earlier directive issued by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in November, ordering the withdrawal of police officers from VIP escort and guard duties.
As part of the exercise, officers were redeployed to various states, including Adamawa, Kebbi, Kaduna, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Enugu, the Federal Capital Territory, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kogi, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe.
In addition, some officers were reassigned to police zonal commands, with Zone 1, Kano, receiving two officers, Zone 3, Yola, one officer, and Zone 7, Abuja, six officers.
The development underscores the Federal Government’s ongoing effort to rationalise police deployment and reduce the use of officers for VIP escort duties.
