Key Points
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VIP protection has drained police from public duty.
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Officers guard politicians instead of patrolling streets.
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The force must serve the people, not privilege.
Every time we wonder why bandits roam freely or why kidnappers operate with impunity, the answer doesn’t lie only in poor logistics or underfunding.
The hard truth is that many Nigerian police officers aren’t missing—they’re simply busy guarding the rich.
Nigeria has fewer than 370,000 police officers for a population of over 200 million, far below the UN’s recommendation of one officer per 400 citizens.
Yet even that modest ratio is a mirage. The reality is that too many officers are standing idle outside mansions, inside convoys, and beside VIPs who already live far above the law.
Too many officers serve VIPs, not citizens
A single senator might be trailed by ten armed escorts. A tycoon’s wife can move with a full convoy. Their children enjoy private, high-end security that most rural communities in Zamfara or Uyo will never know.
Nigeria’s most competent and well-armed police officers are not guarding the public—they’re guarding privilege.
This system isn’t just broken—it’s profitable. VIP protection is a major source of revenue for the Nigeria Police Force, especially through the Special Protection Unit (SPU).
With units spread across Lagos, Abuja, and other cities, the SPU offers security for ₦150,000 per officer monthly. Of that, the officer gets ₦100,000. The rest flows upward through ranks, greasing palms and feeding a shadow economy.
VIP protection in Nigeria has become big business
Base 20 of the SPU, situated within the National Assembly, alone controls over 3,000 officers dedicated to lawmakers and government officials.
Multiply ₦50,000 by thousands of officers, and you get more than a personnel challenge—you get a cash cow. No wonder efforts to recall officers from VIP duty never succeed. It’s not about safety. It’s about profit.
Meanwhile, ordinary Nigerians are left to crowdfund ransoms or depend on hunters and vigilantes for protection. Security has become a class privilege. The police are no longer public servants—they’re private assets.
Police must serve all, not just those who pay
This is not about class warfare—it’s about national integrity. Security shouldn’t be bought at the expense of national safety. The police were created to protect everyone, not just those who can pay.
To fix this, Nigeria must separate the police force from private patronage. There must be limits on how many official escorts any non-state individual can have.
The government should publish and audit the number of officers attached to VIPs and redirect those resources to protect schools, streets, and vulnerable communities.
Let the rich be safe—but not at the expense of a bleeding country.
