There is a rising demand for private security companies and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) following President Bola Tinubu’s directive to withdraw police escorts from Very Important Personalities (VIPs).
Newsonspot reports that President Tinubu announced the order on Sunday, explaining that the goal was to redeploy more police officers to underserved communities and strengthen public safety – not to expose citizens to danger.
On Thursday, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, confirmed that 11,566 officers previously assigned to VIP protection had already been recalled. This major shift has begun reshaping Nigeria’s personal security sector.
According to findings, many affected VIPs are now turning to private security firms and NSCDC personnel for the protection of their families and assets.
At the NSCDC Headquarters in Abuja, insiders revealed that top officers have been receiving covert enquiries from politicians, business executives, and their aides seeking armed civil defence personnel.
One source explained that while demand is increasing rapidly, the NSCDC does not have enough manpower to meet the rising requests. The source noted that the agency’s last recruitment brought in 5,000 officers, and the next one will add 10,000 more. However, fewer than 100,000 personnel are available nationwide, and many are already deployed to critical areas such as mining sites, pipeline protection, and other national security assignments.
The source also highlighted how major events stretch the agency’s capacity. For instance, about 4,500 personnel were deployed for the 2025 Abuja Independence Day celebration, while the upcoming 2025 Anambra governorship election will require about 10,000 officers.
Another NSCDC source in Enugu confirmed yesterday that applications for the deployment of their personnel have surged significantly in the past few days.
