President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the withdrawal of police officers from VIP protection and announced the recruitment of 30,000 new policemen. But will this move make Nigerians safer—or is it just another political gesture in a country dangerously underserved by its security agencies?
In this episode of The Other Side, hosted by Rimamnde Shawulu Kwewum, we dig beneath the headlines and ask hard questions about Nigeria’s police and military strength, VIP protection, and the collapse of local governance that should be the first line of security.
Drawing on publicly available data from the World Bank and other global sources, Rimamnde compares Nigeria’s police and military numbers with countries of similar population—Indonesia, Pakistan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Mexico, the Philippines and Ethiopia. The conclusion is stark: Nigeria’s security footprint is too small for its population and far too small for the kind of multi-dimensional crisis it faces—from Boko Haram in the Northeast, to bandits in the Northwest, violent crime in the Middle Belt, Niger Delta tensions, and unrest in the South East and South West.
The episode explains why withdrawing police from VIPs alone will not fix the problem. Up to 100,000 officers may be tied down in VIP roles and guarding oil installations, but even if they all return to regular duty, Nigeria will still fall short of what is required. Rimamnde argues that the country needs far more personnel—potentially up to one million troops in the Army and stronger numbers in the Air Force and Navy—to match its security realities.
Beyond numbers, The Other Side takes on the debate over state police and the destruction of local government institutions. Rimamnde warns that governors who already manipulate local government elections and finances could easily misuse state-controlled police forces. He shows how abandoned local government secretariats, non-existent security meetings and seized LG funds have weakened intelligence, early warning and community-level security.
Instead of simply recalling VIP police, the episode calls for deconstructing the Nigerian Police into specialized, independent departments—counterterrorism, financial crime, serious crime, VIP protection, traffic and others—each with clear mandates and accountability structures, rather than one Inspector General trying to control everything from Abuja.
The conversation also touches on corruption, underfunding and weak oversight across the security sector. While corruption exists, Rimamnde insists that poor funding, lack of monitoring and political interference are at the heart of Nigeria’s security failures.
Watch to the end and share your thoughts:
- Will recalling VIP police and adding 30,000 officers change anything on the ground?
- Do you support state police, or do you fear abuse by governors?
- What kind of security architecture does Nigeria really need before 2027 and beyond?
Join the debate in the comments, like the video, and share with others who care about Nigeria’s future.
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