Security Analyst To Tinubu: Adopt 90-Day Transition Before Withdrawing Police VIP Escorts

ADVICE TO PRESIDENT TINUBU: INTRODUCE 90-DAY GRACE PERIOD TO TRAIN ARMED PRIVATE SECURITY FOR VIP DUTIES; REDUCE POLICE ESCORT NUMBERS OVER CHRISTMAS PERIOD

By Dr John Egbo, Retired US-Trained Deputy Sheriff

From a professional policing perspective, withdrawing Police VIP Escorts from politically exposed persons, senior business leaders, and other high-risk individuals without a structured transition risks creating new security vulnerabilities at a time when Nigeria is already grappling with significant safety challenges.

A more pragmatic approach would be the adoption of a 90-day transition window to allow the Federal Government to fast-track the training, certification and licensing of armed private security personnel who can lawfully and competently assume close-protection duties for private citizens.

This aligns with established practice in advanced democracies including the United States, where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu once lived where private security firms, rather than state police, routinely undertake personal protection roles.

Equally critical is the need to avoid any perception of political interference. Vesting exclusive authority in the President to determine who qualifies for Police VIP Escorts risks fuelling accusations of favouritism or political exclusion, an especially delicate issue within Nigeria’s charged political environment. A transparent, rules-based framework would provide far greater credibility.

Standardising VIP Police Escorts to one or two officers would also improve efficiency, curb excessive deployments and ensure a healthier distribution of policing resources nationwide. Properly structured escort units can still enhance police visibility, effectively acting as mobile patrols in communities with limited security coverage.

With the Christmas season approaching, a period associated with increased travel and heightened security risks, exposing high-risk individuals to avoidable threats runs contrary to the fundamental mandate of the Nigeria Police Force: the protection of life and property.

Ultimately, the President already carries the enormous burden of steering national governance.

He should not be directly tasked with approving individual VIP escort allocations. A clear, institutionally grounded policy supported by well-regulated private security integration and a more disciplined police escort system offers a more sustainable path forward for Nigeria’s evolving security landscape.

Dr John Egbo is a retired United States Deputy Sheriff and Security Consultant.
Email: Jnegbo1@gmail.com