- NSCDC Rejects Senators’ Requests As VIP Protection Demand Surges.
- Corps insists its priority remains safeguarding national assets and infrastructure.
- Police officers withdrawn will retrain and reinforce security in volatile areas.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps is struggling to manage a sharp rise in requests for private protection services following the recent withdrawal of thousands of police officers from VIP security duties.
EDITOR’S PICKS
- INEC Ends Phase 1 Voter Registration Dec 10
- Why CBN Increasing ATM Withdrawal Limit Matters
- Fire Service Officer Dies as One-Way Rider Causes Fatal Crash in Lagos
EKO HOT BLOG reports that the development has forced the Corps to reject at least five serving senators due to limited manpower and competing security priorities.
An NSCDC officer who spoke anonymously said the agency has been overwhelmed since President Bola Tinubu’s November 26 directive ordering the removal of 11,566 police personnel from private guard assignments to boost frontline security operations.
According to the officer, requests for VIP protection have more than doubled as politicians, business leaders and influential individuals turn to the Corps for cover.
“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 do not have the manpower to satisfy everyone,” the officer told THE WHISTLER.
The NSCDC stressed that its core mandate remains the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure including oil pipelines, power installations and telecommunications facilities.
Officials insist that despite rising demands from VIPs, the agency cannot abandon its primary duty of safeguarding essential infrastructure and ensuring community safety.
The shift in VIP protection responsibility follows a broader national security emergency declared by President Tinubu in response to recent high profile attacks and abductions. Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun confirmed that all 11,566 withdrawn officers will undergo refresher training before deployment to unstable areas.
The President also approved the recruitment of 20,000 additional police personnel, raising the total to 50,000, and authorised the use of NYSC camps as training sites.
With the police withdrawal now in effect, pressure has mounted on the NSCDC and private security firms to fill the gap.
However, sources note that the Corps’ VIP Protection Unit is already facing manpower shortages that could slow its ability to meet the new demand.
