THIS DAWN — Policy analyst and public affairs commentator, Mr. Philip Obin, has cautioned that the recent withdrawal of police officers from VIP protection duties across Nigeria could create deeper security vulnerabilities rather than solving existing challenges.
Mr. Obin argues that in every functional security ecosystem, VIPs who qualify for and can afford private protection are allowed to retain such services.
Eliminating their police security details entirely, he warns, creates an avoidable security vacuum.
The vacuum, he said, may ultimately increase the workload for the same security agencies now withdrawing their personnel.
“Should any of these VIPs be kidnapped — and many of them are high-value targets — the responsibility will still fall on the police, DSS, and military to track, pursue, and rescue them.
“If multiple incidents occur simultaneously, it could trigger operational overload, widespread panic, and even systemic breakdown,” he said.
More strategic reform
Obin recommends a more strategic reform: streamline and limit the number of police officers attached to VIPs rather than enforcing a blanket withdrawal.
He also stressed the urgent need for expanded police recruitment, noting that Nigeria’s policing capacity is severely overstretched.
Beyond security considerations, Obin points to the financial structure underpinning VIP protection as a major reason the system has been difficult to dismantle.
He notes that VIPs pay substantial monthly fees to police authorities for access to officers, while also paying allowances directly to the deployed personnel.
This arrangement, Obin explains, results in dual earnings for police leadership and individual officers — a revenue stream running into billions of naira monthly.
According to him, this entrenched financial benefit has long discouraged meaningful reform.
To address this, Obin proposes establishing an independent regulatory framework or dedicated agency to manage VIP security deployment and payments.
Such a body would standardize processes, introduce transparency, consolidate revenue, and ensure that funds generated are directed toward improving police welfare.
“If properly structured, this reform would allow the federal government to use the proceeds from VIP security payments to finance competitive salaries, fund large-scale recruitment, invest in continuous training, and strengthen long-term capability development,” he explained.
Obin maintains that a balanced, transparent system remains the most sustainable path forward.
The system will be one that protects high-risk individuals while enhancing national security capacity.
