THE Federal Government has directed the immediate redeployment of Nigeria Police Force officers previously assigned to VIP protection duties, shifting them to frontline community policing roles.
Announced by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the move prioritises public safety in the wake of the deadly terrorist attack in Kwara State that claimed at least 75 lives.
The minister described the redeployment as a strategic pivot, returning thousands of officers to their primary mandate of safeguarding communities rather than private individuals.
The personnel have already been integrated into frontline security operations, with immediate deployments to key states including Kwara, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, and the Federal Capital Territory.
Security has also been heightened around places of worship, with increased police visibility during Sunday services in coordination with faith and community leaders.
Minister Idris stressed that while Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts remain sovereignty-driven and Nigerian-led, the government remains open to strategic cooperation, including intelligence and surveillance support from partners such as the United States, where it aligns with national interests.
The attack in question occurred on Tuesday in the Woro and Nuku communities of Kwara North, where gunmen killed at least 75 people, burned shops, torched the residence of a traditional ruler, and forced residents to flee.
The Northern States Governors’ Forum condemned the killings as “barbaric and senseless,” while Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq described the incident as a massacre.
In response, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the deployment of an army battalion to reinforce security and ensure that Nigerians can live and worship without fear.