Sowore Alleges Massive Fraud in Nigeria Police Force

Sowore Alleges Massive Payroll Fraud in Nigeria Police Force, Says Only 210,000 Officers Truly Active

By [African Nugget]

Nigeria’s policing crisis has taken a dramatic turn with fresh allegations from activist and politician Omoyele Sowore, who claims that the country’s police workforce is far smaller than the government officially reports.

According to Sowore, while the federal government insists it pays salaries for approximately 350,000 police personnel, the actual number of active officers is closer to 210,000. He alleges that the discrepancy is the result of a systemic payroll fraud, where salaries are siphoned off through ghost workers and proxy beneficiaries, with funds funneled back to senior officials.

“This racket not only drains the public treasury,” Sowore said, “but also explains why our streets remain chronically understaffed, why morale among rank-and-file officers is low, and why effective public policing has collapsed nationwide.”

VIP Protection Over Public Safety
Sowore further revealed that 11,500 officers—about 5.4% of the force—are assigned to guard fewer than 10,000 VIPs, leaving nearly 200 million Nigerians to be policed by just about 200,000 officers.

He described this imbalance as a stark example of how state resources are disproportionately allocated to protect the elite, while ordinary citizens face rising insecurity.

Beyond VIP duty, Sowore claims that over 100,000 officers are effectively withdrawn from public policing, serving instead as guards for banks, private homes, schools, shrines, churches, corporate facilities, farms, and even militants.

“This is not policing,” Sowore declared. “It is the privatization of public security. It explains why insecurity thrives while the powerful remain insulated.”

The allegations, if true, paint a troubling picture of Nigeria’s security architecture:
– Ghost officers draining billions from the treasury.
– Chronic understaffing leaving communities vulnerable.
– Elite capture of police resources undermining public trust.
– Privatized policing that prioritizes private interests over national safety.

Sowore’s statement is seen to likely intensify calls for reform of the Nigeria Police Force, which has long faced criticism for corruption, inefficiency, and lack of accountability.