Nigeria’s federal government has reassigned VIP-duty police officers to Kwara and North-Central communities under expanded security operations.
Police officers previously engaged in VIP escort duties have been redeployed on a large scale by the Nigeria Police Force to carry out core community policing functions and deliver measurable improvements in security presence across Kwara, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, and the Federal Capital Territory.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, affirmed this on Friday in a statement.
He said the federal government was intensifying security operations across the North-central region to protect civilians in vulnerable communities, following the dastardly terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of about 75 innocent villagers in Kwara State.
President Bola Tinubu established the expanded security mandate, code-named Operation Savannah Shield, when he declared a state of emergency on national security on 26 November 2026.
The offensive, supported by enhanced intelligence capabilities and rapid-response protocols, entailed the deployment of military, police and national forest guard units to reinforce security assets in the theatre.
“President Tinubu condemned the Kwara attacks as beastly, heartless, and emblematic of a doomed campaign by terrorists who deliberately target soft subjects. He has directed that the full weight of the state be brought against all actors threatening the peace.
“With heightened deployments now underway in at-risk communities, President Tinubu is demonstrating an unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigerian lives and upholding the fundamental right of all citizens to worship freely. Enhanced security around places of worship, including increased visible presence around churches on Sundays, is being implemented in close coordination with the local community and faith leaders,” Idris said.
He stressed the President Tinubu had consistently affirmed the country’s counter-terrorism operations will remain Nigerian-led and sovereignty-driven, adding where appropriate and consistent with the nation’s interests, the government was open to broad cooperation, including from the United States and other partners on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, in support of objectives defined by Nigeria, and for Nigerians.