IGP To Nigerians: Complaints Or Not, VIPs Will Always Get Police Escorts

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has defended the continued allocation of police officers to Very Important Persons (VIPs), stressing that their protection is crucial to safeguarding Nigeria’s economic stability.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking in Abuja on Thursday while addressing commanders of border patrol bases, Egbetokun explained that although the misuse of police personnel is being curbed, the force cannot entirely do away with VIP security. He noted that certain individuals, especially major employers of labour, require protection to ensure the safety of thousands of Nigerians who depend on their businesses.

“We can’t completely eliminate VIP protection. When you have employers with thousands of Nigerians working under them, we must safeguard their lives. If anything happens to them, it directly affects those depending on them. There are VIPs we simply must protect, whether we like it or not,” the IGP stated.

He emphasized that the deployment of officers to VIPs does not diminish the manpower available at border posts, adding that a task force has been created to regulate and verify VIP protection requests. Egbetokun also underscored the importance of border policing, describing Nigeria’s borders as vast and complex — spanning over 4,000 kilometres of land boundaries and extensive maritime routes that, while fostering trade and cultural exchange, are often exploited for illicit activities.