Police probe Blord after armed officers were filmed escorting the businessman at Enugu airport, raising fresh questions over Nigeria’s VIP escort ban

The Nigeria Police Force has opened an investigation into the deployment of armed police officers to escort Nigerian businessman Linus Williams, popularly known as Blord, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, describing the arrangement as unlawful amid an existing presidential directive prohibiting police personnel from performing private VIP protection duties.

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The investigation followed a video shared by Blord on his Instagram page on Tuesday, November 10, showing him arriving at the airport accompanied by armed officers dressed in camouflage uniforms and tactical gear.

Reacting to the footage, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, condemned the deployment and confirmed that an investigation had commenced.

“Unlawful and illegal. Investigation has commenced into this incident please. We say #notoimpunity,” Iniedu wrote in a statement published on his official X account.

The video showed the businessman stepping out of a black Cadillac bearing the personalised registration number plate ‘B-LORD’, with armed officers accompanying him through different locations.

Some scenes captured the officers walking alongside Blord, providing security around his vehicle and opening the car door for him.

The footage also showed the group visiting what appeared to be his business premises in Enugu.

Blord, who wore a red-and-white striped traditional cap associated with the Kwankwaso political movement, described his return to the South-East as a continuation of his business activities.

Captioning the video, he wrote: “Back to base, business as usual. From the airport to a brief stop at BlordGroup Enugu branch, then back to Awka. Every move has its purpose, and the vision never takes a break. Blord is home!”

In another Instagram post, the businessman disclosed that he had travelled to Sabon Gari in Kano State, where he met people he described as his brothers, before returning to Enugu.

Although the footage attracted attention because of the visible police presence, the central question now concerns whether the officers were officially authorised to provide the businessman with an escort.

The police have not publicly disclosed the identities of the officers involved, the unit to which they belong or the circumstances under which the deployment was approved.

The investigation is also expected to establish whether the officers acted on their own or were assigned to the businessman through an official arrangement.

The incident has brought renewed attention to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive withdrawing police officers attached to influential individuals and redirecting them towards public security responsibilities.

On November 23, 2025, Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police personnel providing security for Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country.

The directive was announced after a security meeting with service chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

According to a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the decision was intended to strengthen police presence in communities, particularly areas experiencing security challenges.

Under the arrangement, individuals requiring official protection would henceforth request armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) rather than police officers.

The President’s position reflected concerns about the distribution of police manpower, with several communities facing security challenges while officers remained attached to private individuals and influential personalities.

Tinubu had also approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers as part of broader efforts to strengthen the country’s policing capacity.

The Nigeria Police Force subsequently moved to enforce the directive.

On November 25, 2025, the Special Protection Unit instructed officers attached to VIPs and private beats nationwide to return to their respective bases following the presidential order.

Days later, on December 6, 2025, the police established a Special Enforcement Team to monitor compliance, beginning with an operation across strategic locations in Lagos.

The then Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the monitoring exercise covered areas including the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge and the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

Hundeyin reported that the operation recorded no unauthorised deployment of police personnel for VIP escort duties and consequently resulted in no arrests.

President Tinubu reinforced his position on December 10, 2025, telling ministers that the withdrawal directive was not negotiable and that anyone requiring police protection because of the nature of their assignment should obtain clearance from the Inspector-General of Police.

The President maintained that police officers should concentrate on protecting citizens, preventing crime and safeguarding lives and property rather than serving as personal escorts for privileged individuals.

The latest incident involving Blord therefore presents another test of the police authorities’ commitment to enforcing the policy without favouritism.

However, the commencement of an investigation does not establish that Blord personally arranged or knowingly secured an unauthorised police deployment. The circumstances surrounding the officers’ presence and any possible authorisation remain matters for the police to establish.

The Force has yet to announce the outcome of its investigation or disclose whether disciplinary action will be taken against any officer found to have breached the directive.

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The outcome could provide further clarity on how consistently the police intend to enforce the restrictions on private VIP escorts, particularly as public attention increasingly focuses on the use of security personnel by influential Nigerians.