Thousands of communities across Nigeria have been left without police protection after repeated attacks by terrorists and bandits forced security operatives to abandon several police stations and security outposts.
Reports showed that communities in Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Plateau, Niger, Anambra, Kwara, and Imo states are among the worst affected, with residents now depending heavily on vigilantes and local hunters for protection.
In Zamfara, community leaders said over 1,000 communities currently lack police presence, allowing bandits to operate freely in many villages. Some residents disclosed that villagers now sleep in bushes at night to avoid attacks.
Residents in parts of Anambra also lamented that several police stations destroyed during attacks by gunmen have not been rebuilt, forcing communities to rely on local security outfits.
Communities in Plateau, Niger, and Kaduna states equally complained of delayed police response due to the absence of nearby police formations and poor security logistics.
Security experts warned that the collapse of grassroots policing could worsen insecurity across the country if urgent action is not taken.
They called for increased recruitment of police officers, improved welfare, better equipment, and stronger collaboration between security agencies and local communities.
Reports also indicated that hundreds of police officers have been killed nationwide in attacks on police stations and checkpoints over the last few years, further weakening security operations in rural communities.
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