President Bola Tinubu has doubled down on his directive to withdraw police escorts from VIPs and redeploy them to core security duties, following public criticism, including an unexpected rebuke from Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, who condemned the “excessively large” security convoy accompanying the President’s son, Seyi.
At Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting, Tinubu instructed the NSA, DSS, and security agencies to ensure full compliance, emphasizing that the police must focus on tackling the rising number of kidnapping cases nationwide.
He ordered that civil defence personnel replace withdrawn escorts where necessary and directed that forest guards be armed to enhance national security operations.
The directive has stirred controversy, with Senator Abdul Ningi protesting the withdrawal of his only police orderly, while other high-profile individuals still move with large escorts.
The Senate leadership confirmed that the issue is being reviewed, stressing that the policy must be applied uniformly to maintain fairness and public trust.
Tinubu also tasked the Vice President with pushing livestock reforms through the National Economic and Financial Council, converting grazing reserves into ranches to reduce farmer–herder conflicts and boost economic opportunities.
