The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) is grappling with a massive surge in requests for private protection services, confirming that it has been forced to turn down at least five serving Senators due to severe manpower constraints.
Naijaonpoint understands that this revelation comes two weeks after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu issued a directive on November 26, ordering the withdrawal of 11,566 police personnel from private guard duties to redirect security manpower toward combating escalating national insecurity.
An NSCDC officer, speaking anonymously, revealed that the agency has been stretched thin, with requests for private protection having more than doubled since the presidential order.
“We are under pressure due to the upsurge of requests for protection by VIPs… We have had to turn down five senators due to increased requests. The situation is overwhelming, and we simply do not have the manpower to satisfy everyone,” the officer told THE WHISTLER.
The NSCDC’s core mandate, as stipulated by its Act, is the protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI), such as oil pipelines, power installations, and telecommunications sites, in addition to community safety and disaster management.
The officer stressed that the Corps cannot abandon this core duty: “Every day, new applications come in from politicians, businessmen, and even community leaders. But our priority remains national infrastructure and critical assets. We cannot abandon our core mandate.”
The withdrawal of police escorts is part of President Tinubu’s declaration of a nationwide security emergency aimed at addressing heightened insecurity, including recent high-profile attacks and abductions of schoolchildren.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun confirmed that 11,566 police officers were withdrawn from VIP duties.
These withdrawn officers are expected to undergo crash retraining for immediate deployment to volatile areas to strengthen frontline policing.
The President also ordered the massive recruitment of an additional 20,000 police personnel, raising the total recruitment to 50,000, and mandated the use of NYSC camps as training centers.
The directive essentially shifted the burden of private protection to the NSCDC and licensed private security firms. Though the NSCDC has a specialized VIP Protection Unit, sources indicate a significant manpower shortfall that may delay a full rollout of services to meet the new demand.
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