Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has explained why the Nigeria Police Force cannot stop assigning officers to protect Very Important Persons (VIPs), despite growing concerns over manpower shortages at the nation’s borders.
Speaking at a meeting with commanders of border patrol bases in Abuja on Thursday, Egbetokun said VIP protection remains vital to safeguarding the economy, especially for business leaders who employ thousands of Nigerians.
“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 anything happens to them, automatically those working with them would be affected,” he said.
The police chief stressed that the deployment of officers to VIPs does not reduce the strength of border patrol units. He added that a task force has been established to scrutinise requests for VIP protection and ensure officers are not misused.
Egbetokun also highlighted Nigeria’s border vulnerabilities, describing them as vast, porous, and prone to exploitation by smugglers, traffickers, and terrorists. He cited the interception of a container from Turkey in 2023 carrying over 800 rifles and 100,000 rounds of ammunition as evidence of persistent threats.
To combat these challenges, he urged officers to embrace technology, including drones, biometric scanners, surveillance systems, and data analysis tools, which he described as “necessities, not luxuries.”
He directed border commanders to keep detailed monthly reports on arms interceptions, contraband seizures, human trafficking disruptions, and other achievements, warning that the absence of records would be treated as dereliction of duty.
Egbetokun further called for stronger collaboration with Customs, Immigration, the Armed Forces, and international partners, noting that joint operations have already yielded significant results in intercepting arms and narcotics.
“The complexity of modern threats demands unity of purpose,” he said. “The criminals are united in their mission; therefore, we must also be united in ours.”
The IGP commended officers for their resilience at border posts and acknowledged the support of the National Assembly, Police Affairs Ministry, ECOWAS, AU, INTERPOL, and UNODC, emphasising that Nigeria’s border security has global implications.
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