The Nigeria Police Force’s directive to withdraw officers attached to private individuals and VIPs has reportedly been widely undermined, with personnel said to be returning to duty through disguises, bribery and administrative manipulation, credible sources told SaharaReporters.
According to sources, some officers affected by the withdrawal order have resorted to wearing uniforms of vigilante groups and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to continue their previous protection duties undetected.
“Police officers are now disguising themselves in vigilante and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps uniforms to evade the so‑called withdrawal order,” one police source said.
As part of the directive by President Bola Tinubu to Inspector‑General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, officers were instructed to return to base and hand in their service rifles for redeployment to core policing duties.
However, SaharaReporters has learnt that many of the same weapons were reissued to the officers after payments of up to ₦500,000, allowing them to resume protection duties under informal arrangements.
“Each officer was instructed to return their service rifle, only to have the same weapon reissued after paying ₦500,000. They then resumed duty as usual,” the source said.
Sources also disclosed that several police guards have adopted alternative roles and disguises, including wearing corporate suits and operating as private drivers for VIPs, while still providing armed protection.
“Some police guards now wear suits and operate as private drivers for VIPs. Most officers have already returned to work,” the source added.
Although the Inspector‑General of Police constituted a monitoring team to enforce the withdrawal order, sources claimed that the exercise was largely symbolic.
“The team arrested a few officers for show, and they were immediately released,” one source said.
The sources described the withdrawal policy as ineffective, arguing that it has not led to any significant reduction in the deployment of police officers to private individuals.
Instead, they alleged that the process has primarily benefited senior officers while the practice it was meant to stop continues largely unchanged.
“This so‑called VIP police withdrawal has changed nothing. It has merely enriched senior officers while the charade continues,” another source said.