By Dr. John Egbo
Decreasing the number of police officers assigned to VIPs in Nigeria is a more appropriate and timely response than withdrawing the entire police officers assigned to the VIPs in this worsening insecurity across the country. The police force is overstretched, and redeploying some officers from excessive VIP protection duties back to public safety functions is essential for restoring confidence in national security. Decreasing the number of officers assigned to VIPs is a better security measure than total withdrawal of police officers from the VIPs.
Importantly, the proposed reduction does not eliminate police protection for VIPs but strengthens police manpower for public protection and response to crime in progress incidents. It aims to ensure that assigned officers also serve as patrol personnel wherever VIPs travel to. In many cases, as VIP convoys travel through the country, the police officers accompanying them have deterred criminal elements—bandits and armed robbers, who often withdraw when confronted with an armed police escort. This has occurred repeatedly, even in areas where nearby police stations were unable to respond quickly.
The fundamental role of the police remains: to protect and serve both the VIPs and general public. VIPs—especially national leaders, ministers, and influential citizens—are often prime targets for criminals, whether due to envy, political motives, or financial gain. As the saying goes, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Therefore, completely withdrawing all police officers from VIPs would be counterproductive and would expose them to greater danger than the average citizen.
What the Inspector General of Police should prioritize is a strategic reduction, not an elimination of officers attached to VIPs and to sensitive establishments such as vulnerable businesses or schools. This approach frees up manpower for public patrols, highway security, and community policing initiatives, without placing VIPs at an unacceptable risk.
As a retired Deputy Sheriff in the United States and a security consultant, I can affirm that crime control is most effective when resources are deployed based on threat assessment and environmental realities. Many parts of Nigeria are now serious crime hotspots, and policing strategies must adapt accordingly. Withdrawing every officer from VIP protection would only shift vulnerability, not solve the larger problem.
In addition, elected officials—particularly members of the National Assembly and Ministers—should be directed to spend more time in their home constituencies and communities, accompanied by reduced and more efficient police security teams. Politics, like crime, is fundamentally local. Their presence at home strengthens governance, improves community relations, and supports grassroots policing.
The President’s directive to recruit additional police officers is timely and long overdue. However, Nigeria must jealously guard the recruitment process. Criminal infiltration—whether by bandits, terrorists, or their sympathizers—poses a major internal threat to police effectiveness. Poorly vetted recruits can undermine operations, leak sensitive information, or sabotage crime-fighting efforts, placing both citizens and officers in danger.
Nigeria needs a police force that is professional, properly vetted, and optimally deployed. Reducing excessive VIP protection details and strengthening public security roles is not just a policy adjustment—it is a necessary step toward restoring safety and order for all Nigerians.
VIPs moving with a reduced number of police officers serve as crime deterrent along their routes.
Dr. John Egbo is a United States retired Deputy Sheriff and Consultant on Security Matters. Jnegbo1@gmail.com