The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has explained why the Nigeria Police Force cannot stop the allocation of officers to Very Important Persons (VIPs)
Addressing commanders of border patrol bases in Abuja on Thursday, he asserted that protecting VIPs remains part of safeguarding the country’s economic stability.
He, however, stated that the force has introduced measures to verify and regulate such assignments.
He clarified that personnel deployed to VIPs do not undermine the strength of officers stationed at border posts across the country.
According to him, “We can’t do away with securing our borders, inasmuch as we discourage the misuse of police men in our country, we are regulating the use of our police men, by putting measures in place to ensure that our men are deployed responsibly.
“We can’t do away completely with protecting our VIPs. When you have VIPs who are employers of labour, with thousands of Nigerians working with them in their various establishments, we have to protect them.
“If we don’t protect such individuals, if anything happens to them, automatically those working with/for them would be affected. So there are some VIPs we must protect whether we like it or not.”
The police chief added that the force has set up a task force to scrutinise requests for VIP protection and to ensure that officers assigned are not diverted to other uses.
He maintained that while VIP security will continue, border policing remains a top priority.
Egbetokun described Nigeria’s borders as vast and complex, spanning more than 4,000 kilometres of land boundaries and extensive maritime corridors linking the Gulf of Guinea.
He said these routes facilitate trade, culture, and human connection but are equally exploited for illegal activities.
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