Police Debunk Viral Fake Memo on VIP Officer Withdrawal

ABUJA – The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed a widely circulated document purportedly from 50 Police Mobile Force (PMF) Squadron in Abuja, which allegedly ordered officers guarding certain VIPs to return to base immediately. Force Public Relations Officer CSP Benjamin Hundeyin described the memo, supposedly signed by a CSP Suleiman Abdullahi as Admin Officer, as entirely fabricated and urged the public to ignore it. No such officer exists in the squadron, and the rank of Chief Superintendent of Police does not hold administrative roles there.​

President Bola Tinubu issued the directive on November 23, 2025, during a security meeting with service chiefs, ordering police redeployment from VIP protection to core duties like community policing in vulnerable areas. Implementation began promptly, with memos from units like Special Protection Unit Base 16 in Lagos requiring officers to report back by November 24, and similar instructions from 50 PMF Squadron targeting high-profile figures including the Chief Justice of Nigeria. Affected VIPs, such as former Vice Presidents Atiku Abubakar and Namadi Sambo, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and traditional rulers like the Olu of Warri, must now seek armed escorts from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).​

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The phased rollout prioritizes preventing security gaps amid rising attacks in regions like northern Nigeria, supported by Tinubu’s approval for recruiting 30,000 new officers and upgrading training facilities. Police Mobile Force commanders nationwide received signals withdrawing personnel from non-essential VIP and escort roles to bolster public safety operations. Hundeyin emphasized reliance on official channels to avoid misinformation that erodes trust.​

This reform builds on earlier Inspector-General Kayode Egbetokun initiatives to reposition PMF as an elite strike unit against riots and threats, rather than private guards. The public has been warned against sharing unverified content, as the Force commits to transparency during the transition.​