According to the EU agency, over 100,000 police officers—nearly one-third of the entire force—are deployed to protect VIPs, including politicians and individuals of questionable character. This diversion of manpower persists despite rising insecurity nationwide.
The report notes that the Nigeria Police Force, with a projected 371,800 personnel, serves a population estimated at 236 million, leaving an alarming ratio of 1 officer to 637 citizens, far below the United Nations’ recommended 1:450benchmark. Many rural communities, the report states, have no police presence at all.
To meet global standards, Nigeria would require 523,105 officers, none of whom should be assigned to private VIP protection.
Past Efforts Failed
Successive governments have attempted to address this imbalance. Former President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the withdrawal of police from unauthorized VIPs in 2015, but the directive was poorly implemented.
In 2018, the Police Service Commission Chairman, Mike Okiro, attributed the failure to “lack of funds,” a justification widely dismissed as insufficient. That same year, then-IG Ibrahim Idris also ordered nationwide withdrawal of VIP escorts, but officers later returned to their elite assignments.
In 2020, former Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari lamented that 30 police officers with only 10 guns were responsible for securing 100 villages, illustrating the dire shortage of personnel for public safety.
Rising Insecurity, Shrinking Protection
While police resources are concentrated around VIPs, Nigerians continue to suffer from violent crimes.
A 2023 report by Save the Children documented more than 1,680 schoolchildren kidnapped, and the International Committee of the Red Cross recently disclosed that over 23,659 Nigerians remain missing.
Despite the worsening situation, the police continue to deploy officers for private protection services, a system critics say has been monetised and abused.
Former PSC chairman Okiro condemned instances where individuals who left public office over a decade ago still retain police escorts, calling it “preposterous.”
Call for Reform and Decisive Action
Security analysts argue that privileged individuals should hire private bodyguards, while state-issued firearms should be restricted to accredited private security outfits operating under licence.
They also warn that Nigeria’s deteriorating security has drawn global attention, with U.S. President Donald Trump recently designating the country as a “Country of Particular Concern.”
Analysts insist that reversing the VIP-policing culture is one of the essential steps toward restoring public trust and reducing frightening crime levels.
To this end, Egbetokun is urged to fully enforce his 2023 and 2025 orders withdrawing officers from VIP escorts and to commit to retraining and redeploying affected personnel to frontline duties.
Experts maintain that comprehensive reforms of the Police Act and the entire structure of the Force remain crucial to repositioning the police as an institution that protects the people, not just a privileged minority.
