More than 100,000 police officers in Nigeria are currently deployed to protect politicians and other Very Important Persons (VIPs), leaving millions of citizens underprotected, according to a new report by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA).
The EU report, released in November 2025, revealed that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) currently has an estimated 371,800 officers serving a population of about 236.7 million people, far below the United Nations-recommended ratio of one police officer per 400 citizens.
The report said Nigeria’s security challenges are worsened by the diversion of a large percentage of police personnel to VIP escorts and personal protection duties instead of community policing and crime prevention.
“The shortage in police manpower is compounded by the fact that more than 100,000 officers are assigned to protect politicians and VIPs, rather than serving the general population,” the EUAA stated.
It added that the imbalance in deployment, coupled with corruption, low morale, and poor accountability, has led to slow emergency responses and left many rural and urban communities vulnerable to rising crime rates.
“This shortage in manpower, along with corruption and insufficient resources, has resulted in delayed responses to crimes and numerous communities being left without adequate protection,” the report noted.
The agency further highlighted concerns about unprofessional conduct within the force, citing extortion, arbitrary arrests, and excessive use of force by some officers due to weak oversight mechanisms.
“With reliable accountability systems lacking, there were reports of police officers engaging in misconduct, including arbitrary arrests, extortion of money, and excessive use of violence,” it stated.
Efforts by Hobnob News to obtain a response from the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, were unsuccessful as calls and messages were not answered as of the time of filing this report.
The deployment of police officers for personal protection of VIPs has long been a controversial issue in Nigeria.
In June 2023, shortly after assuming office, Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun ordered the withdrawal of Police Mobile Force (PMF) operatives from VIP duties, reserving them for strategic national operations. A similar directive was reissued in April 2025, yet reports suggest that compliance remains limited.
In August 2025, Hadiza Bala-Usman, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy and Coordination, criticised the practice, calling it “a misuse of national security resources.”
“One of the most disturbing things is seeing VIPs arrive somewhere with dozens of policemen, while communities in need of protection are left vulnerable,” she said.
“Anyone who wants armed guards should hire private security, not use our mobile police officers.”
Bala-Usman further called for an amendment to the Police Act, allowing licensed private security firms to handle elite protection duties so that police officers can focus on national security and counter-terrorism efforts.
“We must free our security agencies to do what they are meant to do. VIP protection should not come at the cost of public safety,” she concluded.
The EU report has renewed debate over Nigeria’s policing priorities, as the nation grapples with rising insecurity, including banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism, amid widespread calls for police reform and better resource allocation.
More than 100,000 police officers in Nigeria are currently deployed to protect politicians and other Very Important Persons (VIPs), leaving millions of citizens underprotected, according to a new report by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA).
The EU report, released in November 2025, revealed that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) currently has an estimated 371,800 officers serving a population of about 236.7 million people, far below the United Nations-recommended ratio of one police officer per 400 citizens.
The report said Nigeria’s security challenges are worsened by the diversion of a large percentage of police personnel to VIP escorts and personal protection duties instead of community policing and crime prevention.
“The shortage in police manpower is compounded by the fact that more than 100,000 officers are assigned to protect politicians and VIPs, rather than serving the general population,” the EUAA stated.
It added that the imbalance in deployment, coupled with corruption, low morale, and poor accountability, has led to slow emergency responses and left many rural and urban communities vulnerable to rising crime rates.
“This shortage in manpower, along with corruption and insufficient resources, has resulted in delayed responses to crimes and numerous communities being left without adequate protection,” the report noted.
The agency further highlighted concerns about unprofessional conduct within the force, citing extortion, arbitrary arrests, and excessive use of force by some officers due to weak oversight mechanisms.
“With reliable accountability systems lacking, there were reports of police officers engaging in misconduct, including arbitrary arrests, extortion of money, and excessive use of violence,” it stated.
Efforts by Hobnob News to obtain a response from the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, were unsuccessful as calls and messages were not answered as of the time of filing this report.
The deployment of police officers for personal protection of VIPs has long been a controversial issue in Nigeria.
In June 2023, shortly after assuming office, Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun ordered the withdrawal of Police Mobile Force (PMF) operatives from VIP duties, reserving them for strategic national operations. A similar directive was reissued in April 2025, yet reports suggest that compliance remains limited.
In August 2025, Hadiza Bala-Usman, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy and Coordination, criticised the practice, calling it “a misuse of national security resources.”
“One of the most disturbing things is seeing VIPs arrive somewhere with dozens of policemen, while communities in need of protection are left vulnerable,” she said.
“Anyone who wants armed guards should hire private security, not use our mobile police officers.”
Bala-Usman further called for an amendment to the Police Act, allowing licensed private security firms to handle elite protection duties so that police officers can focus on national security and counter-terrorism efforts.
“We must free our security agencies to do what they are meant to do. VIP protection should not come at the cost of public safety,” she concluded.
The EU report has renewed debate over Nigeria’s policing priorities, as the nation grapples with rising insecurity, including banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism, amid widespread calls for police reform and better resource allocation.
