President Bola Tinubu has ordered the withdrawal of about 100,000 police officers attached to VIPs and politicians, directing that they be redeployed to core policing duties and counter-insurgency operations.

The directive followed a high-level security meeting in Abuja on Sunday, attended by Service Chiefs and the DSS Director-General. According to Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, VIPs will now receive security from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, not the police.

Nigeria currently has about 371,800 police officers serving a population of 236 million, but a large portion are attached to VIPs instead of communities, worsening the country’s security gaps.

Tinubu also approved the recruitment of 30,000 new police personnel and plans to upgrade training facilities nationwide.

The directive comes amid renewed public outrage following the abduction of schoolgirls in Papiri, Niger State, where soldiers were reportedly withdrawn minutes before the attack. Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris and community leaders questioned why troops pulled out despite intelligence warnings.

The Defence Headquarters said an investigation is underway to determine why the troops left their posts. Military authorities also announced intensified operations to rescue the abducted students, with commanders visiting the scene and ordering troops to sustain pressure on the attackers.

In the North, fear has spread as states respond to rising attacks. Kebbi State has shut all secondary schools and most tertiary institutions as a precaution. Officials said the measure is temporary, citing the need to protect students and staff.

However, security expert Col. Ahmed Usman (retd.) warned that frequent school closures could embolden criminals and further harm education across the region. He urged a stronger security response, community collaboration, and long-term strategies to tackle the root causes of insecurity.