Amid rising security concerns across the country, Nigerians are voicing their frustrations as the police increasingly shift their focus from general security duties to providing selective protection for high-profile individuals and Very Important Persons (VIPs) who can afford hefty fees.....Click Here To Read Full Article >>
This growing trend has seen police officers, particularly those in the Nigerian Police Force, becoming active participants in the escort business.
During the recent festive season, it was commonplace to see police officers escorting trucks, lorries filled with goods, and high-profile individuals, along with anyone willing to pay for the service.
The Guardian reports that the officers have become fixtures in traffic, public events, and markets, sometimes causing logistical chaos and disruptions at events attended by multiple VIPs.
The trend is particularly visible among the Nigerian Diaspora visiting home for the holidays, with some travellers reporting that they paid large sums for police escorts as protection not from criminals, but from the police themselves.
One netizen shared their experience of paying nearly N900,000 for police protection during trips from Port Harcourt to Owerri to shield them from police harassment. Others also noted the growing presence of convoys, especially on Lagos Island, as part of this new security trend.
The police escorts are often drawn from the ranks of lower officers like Corporals, Sergeants, and Inspectors, and the Police Service Commission recently reported that more than 150,000 officers have been deployed for VIP protection, out of the 400,000 officers currently in service.
However, insiders warn that the actual number may be even higher due to the growing demand for private security.
As more resources are channelled towards protecting the elite, many ordinary Nigerians feel abandoned, despite the Nigerian government allocating at least N131 billion annually for police salaries.
In some cases, officers of higher ranks such as Assistant Superintendents and Deputy Superintendents of Police are also seconded to VIP duties, further increasing the shortage of officers available for general law enforcement.
While the Nigerian police have continued to serve the needs of VIPs, some believe the practice has created an unfair situation where the wealthy are shielded by armed personnel, while the majority of Nigerians remain vulnerable.
Critics like retired IGP Dr. Solomon Arase argue that the practice of assigning large numbers of officers to VIPs is not in line with the core duties of the police and weakens the overall security infrastructure of the country.
Dr. Wilson Esangbedo, Director-General of the Nigeria Institute of Industrial Security, lamented that the growing reliance on police escorts for VIPs has intensified the nation’s security challenges.
He called for a shift toward community-based or private security systems, pointing to countries like Rwanda and South Africa where security firms handle such duties, allowing the police to focus on more critical law enforcement roles.
Human rights lawyer Dr Monday Ubani also condemned the practice, urging the federal government to prioritize the security of all Nigerians, rather than continuing a system that disproportionately benefits the political and economic elite.
However, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola, defended the system, explaining that officers assigned to VIPs are still available to respond to security threats and crimes.
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