Mass Abduction Crisis: Tinubu Withdraws 100,000 Police Officers From VIP Security
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the withdrawal of no fewer than 100,000 police officers currently attached to Very Important Persons (VIPs) and politically exposed individuals nationwide. The personnel will now be redeployed to core policing roles, including anti-insurgency operations, as part of a renewed strategy to combat the escalating wave of terrorism across the country.
The directive was issued during a high-level security meeting held on Sunday in Abuja, attended by Service Chiefs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS). According to a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, VIPs who require protection will henceforth be assigned armed guards from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) instead of the police.
Despite years of promises by previous Inspectors-General of Police to recall officers from VIP protection duties, implementation has been slow. Nigeria’s policing shortfall remains severe, with a November 2025 report by the European Union Agency for Asylum estimating that the country has 371,800 police officers serving a population of over 236 million. The report highlighted that the diversion of officers to VIP protection has left many communities—particularly remote areas—critically underserved.
Onanuga noted that the President is determined to increase police presence nationwide given the current security challenges. Besides the withdrawal of VIP police officers, President Tinubu has also approved the recruitment of 30,000 new police personnel, and the Federal Government is collaborating with states to upgrade police training facilities.
The Abuja security meeting was attended by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and the DSS Director-General, Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
Fresh Controversy Over Withdrawal of Troops Before Niger School Attack
The new security measures followed the shocking revelation that troops guarding St. Mary Private Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, were withdrawn minutes before heavily armed attackers stormed the school and abducted dozens of students.
Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State expressed deep concern during a solidarity visit by the Nigeria Labour Congress, stating that the state government had provided the military with credible intelligence prior to the attack. According to him, soldiers reportedly left the school around 3 a.m., and the attackers struck less than 45 minutes later. The District Head of Maga, Muhammad Dantani, confirmed that soldiers were at the school around midnight but departed shortly after.
In response, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, said the military had begun reviewing the circumstances surrounding the troop movements and would implement corrective measures if any lapses were discovered. He also assured that rescue operations were ongoing.
Military Intensifies Search for Abducted Girls
In a separate development, the Theatre Commander of Operation Fansan Yamma, Maj. Gen. Warrah Idris, has ordered troops to intensify coordinated operations aimed at locating and neutralising the armed group behind the latest school abduction.
During an assessment visit, General Idris received operational briefings from senior commanders and emphasized that the bandits were already feeling the pressure of intensified military actions. He directed troops to maintain sustained momentum until every abducted student is rescued.
Community representatives in Papiri said the high-level visit has renewed local confidence in the rescue mission.
Kebbi Shuts Down Schools Statewide Amid Rising Insecurity
Meanwhile, the Kebbi State Government has announced the immediate closure of all public and private secondary schools, as well as several tertiary institutions, following heightened security concerns. The only institution exempted from this directive is the College of Nursing Sciences, Birnin Kebbi.
Commissioners for Basic & Secondary Education and Higher Education, Dr. Halima Bande and Alhaji Issa Abubakar-Tunga, said the decision was necessary due to the recent disturbing attacks across the state. Hundreds of schools across all 21 local government areas are affected.
Many parents had already expressed anxiety following recent mass abductions, including the kidnapping of schoolgirls in Maga.
The affected tertiary institutions include:
• Kebbi State Polytechnic, Dakingari
• Abdullahi Fodio University of Science and Technology, Aliero
• College of Health Sciences and Technology, Jega
• Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu
• School of Remedial Studies, Yauri
The closure will remain in effect until the security situation improves.
Security Expert Faults School Closures
Retired Colonel Ahmed Usman, Special Adviser on Security to the Sokoto State Governor, criticised the widespread shutdown of schools, describing it as an ineffective response that could embolden criminal groups.
He argued that although safety is a priority, continuous closure of schools would worsen poverty and reduce opportunities for northern youths. Usman urged the government to combine military operations with non-kinetic measures such as:
• youth empowerment initiatives
• community dialogue
• rehabilitation programmes
• addressing root causes including unemployment and deprivation
He appealed to parents, community leaders, and civil society organisations to partner with security agencies and support ongoing efforts to secure schools and communities.
The Ahmed Aliyu administration, he said, remains committed to protecting all residents and ensuring that children’s education is not compromised despite growing insecurity.
