Nigeria’s internal security crisis deepened over the past one year as attacks on police stations, checkpoints and patrol teams across the nation claimed many officers.

The incidents, which occurred in several states, claimed no fewer than 45 officers of the Nigeria Police Force within the period, according to media reports.

Security experts alleged that from Boko Haram terrorists’ attacks in the North East to ambushes by bandits, mob violence and targeted attacks in the North Central, South East and South West, these killings exposed growing vulnerabilities in police formations and weak operational capacity as well as the increasing boldness of armed groups and criminal elements.

Borno, Kwara, Enugu, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Plateau, Kogi, Taraba, Benue affected

On January 8, 2025, two policemen were killed when Boko Haram members attacked the Divisional Police Station at Gajiram, Nganzai Local Government Area of Borno State.

In February 2025, the Ifon Police Station in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State was set ablaze following a mob action by irate youths. Earlier on December 31, bandits, numbering about 20, had struck at Ipele community In Owo Local Government Area of the state and burnt the police divisional station there. No life was lost in both incidents, according to the state police command.

On March 24, Constable Akpa Emmanuel of the Awgu Divisional Police Headquarters in Enugu State was killed when gunmen attacked the police station.

On May 25, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Rano Police Division in Kano State was killed by a mob after the death of a man in their custody.

In July 2025, the armed bandits attacked a Police Mobile Force (PMF) station and joint security post in Gwarin Ganuwa village, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The bandits, in large numbers with sophisticated weapons, stormed the location where a joint police and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) team was stationed under Operation Restore Peace.

spite the resistance, one police inspector, Inspector Abubakar Mohammed, was killed in the fighting while several members of the CJTF were also killed.

In Kwara State, on August 8, 2025 at Babanla community, Ifelodun Local Government Area, bandits stormed the town and attacked the Divisional Police Headquarters. The attack left five persons dead, including a police officer, Inspector Adejumo Wasiu.

The Ipele Divisional Police Station in Owo Local Council Area of Ondo State destroyed during an attack by gunmen on January 2026.

In September 2025, a mob attacked the Garko Divisional Police Headquarters in Garko Local Government Area of Kano State. The station was vandalised and a patrol vehicle set ablaze. Three police officers reportedly sustained injuries; while one civilian reportedly lost his life.

In October 2025, gunmen attacked the Zonkwa Divisional Police Headquarters in Zango-Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing two police officers and wounding others.

The attackers also freed several inmates detained at the station before security forces, including police and local vigilantes, repelled the assault after hours of fighting.

On February 1, 2026, terrorists reportedly attacked the divisional police station in Agwara town, headquarters of Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State. During the attack, no fewer than six persons were kidnapped; while the station and a police patrol van were completely burnt.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said the attackers used dynamite to set the station ablaze.

On June 4, 2025, gunmen attacked a mining site at Oreke-Okeigbo in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State where a team of police officers was stationed to provide security. The assailants opened fire on the officers, killing Assistant Superintendent of Police Haruna Watsai and Inspector Tukur Ogah.

In July 2025, a border patrol checkpoint manned by mobile policemen at Luma Ba’are in Borgu LGA of Niger State was also attacked, with patrol vehicles, motorcycles, and private vehicles belonging to officers reportedly burnt.

In Kebbi, two police officers were killed on September 10 last year when suspected Lakurawa terrorists attacked a patrol team at Natsini Corner in Augie Local Government Area. The assailants were reportedly refuelling their motorcycles at a filling station when they were spotted by police officers on routine patrol, leading to an exchange of gunfire. The officers initially fled into the bush from the troubled area but were pursued and killed by the attackers.

On September 10, three police officers were killed by gunmen at a checkpoint on the Egbe-Okoloke Road, Egbe community of Yagba West LGA of Kogi State.

On September 21, two police officers were killed at a checkpoint along Ilafin Road in Isanlu LGA of Kogi State.

On September 22, a police sergeant was gunned down by gunmen at a checkpoint in Tella town of Gassol LGA of Taraba State.

On October 17, bandits attacked a checkpoint at Gidan Giye village along the Gusau-Funtua highway in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killing five police officers and members of the state security outfit community protection guards known as Askarawa (CPGs).

On September 19, 2025, three officers were killed and seven others missing following an ambush on the police tactical teams at the Agu Centre in the Katsina-Ala and Ukum Local Government Areas of Benue State.

Five police officers and several bandits were killed following an ambush at Sabon Sara village, Darazo Local Government Area of Bauchi State on November 22, 2025, as confirmed by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ahmed Wakil, who said the incident occurred when combined police tactical units, acting on intelligence, embarked on a visibility patrol to prevent and manage farmer–herder conflict around the area.

On October 23, a police officer was killed by gunmen at a checkpoint along the Otukpo-Ohimini Road in Otukpo LGA of Benue State.

Four mobile police officers attached to the 12 Police Mobile Force (PMF) unit were also reportedly killed following an ambush by gunmen at Udei village in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State on June 9.

On November 7, a policeman was killed at a checkpoint in Ekiadolor community of Edo State.

In Edo State, Agenegbode Police Station, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, was set ablaze by hoodlums on October 14, 2024, following the kidnap and killing of youths in the area.

During the incident, vehicles parked at the station and other items were also set ablaze.

The incident was reportedly triggered by the killing of a kidnapped boy whose organs were harvested after a ransom was paid.

Bandits attacked a divisional police officer’s official residence in Aujara, Jahun Local Government Area of Jigawa State, killing a police constable identified as Nura Garba, late October 2025.

On January 4, 2026, terrorists attacked a security outpost manned by the Nigeria Police Border Patrol Team at New Kalli village in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State. The attack occurred around midnight, less than 48 hours after dozens of traders and farmers were killed at Kasuwan Daji, also in Borgu. During the attack, a police outpost was reportedly burnt.

On Tuesday, January 27, 2026, bandits ambushed a police patrol team from the 27 Police Mobile Force in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, killing three officers, including an ASP and injuring others. The attackers reportedly trailed the unit on motorbike before opening fire.

On January 10, 2026, gunmen attacked the Obajana Police Division in Kogi State, but were repelled by the police.

In Oyo State, a patrol team was ambushed by an armed gang in late January 2026 at the Budo Masalasi Border Post, resulting in the killing of an inspector of police, Aliu Oluwole.

Gunmen on June 12, 2025, killed a police inspector, Yakubu Dauda, and seized his rifle during an operation at Chwelnyap Rim community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau. A mobile police man was killed on July 24, 2025 at a checkpoint along the Richa Road in Bokkos LGA of Plateau State. In another incident on September 12, 2025, a police officer, Inspector Lasare Jeremiah and a suspect, Audu Abudullahi, were killed in a mob action at Nyakala community, Bassa Local Government Area. In February 2026, gunmen suspected to be bandits attacked a security formation in Zurak community, Bashar district, killing a soldier and a police officer.

Force Headquarters silent

From Friday to Sunday, Daily Trust contacted the spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, Benjamin Hundeyin, for a reaction, he neither answered several calls nor replied to text and WhatsApp messages sent to his mobile telephone line.

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had, during a conference with senior police officers in Abuja last September, warned against attacks on police officers carrying out their lawful duties.

“Attacks on our personnel are unacceptable. We do not condone any form of assault on police officers performing their legitimate functions. Repeatedly, I have appealed to the public: if you disagree with the conduct of any police officer, kindly report the matter to the appropriate authorities,” the IG had said.

How we’re dealing with situations – Kogi, Kaduna police commands

The spokesperson of the Kogi State Police Command, Afusat Saliu, said operatives of the command, in collaboration with sister security personnel, including vigilantes and hunters, had carried out coordinated bush-combing operations across various parts of the state to frustrate attacks on operatives and individuals on lawful duties.

She said the ongoing operations formed parts of continuous, intelligence-led security measures routinely conducted across different locations in the state to proactively detect, disrupt and dismantle criminal networks.

Speaking yesterday, the Kaduna State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, said: “We have taken steps to deal with this kind of issue. If you look at Kaduna, since the problems that happened before, it has become very difficult for such things to happen again because of the measures we put in place.

“Apart from the past incidents we had, where we also took some measures, we have not had any similar incident or even an attempt again.”

Experts blame manpower shortage, weak logistics

Speaking to Daily Trust, a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Adisa Bolanta, linked the recurring attacks on police stations and formations across Nigeria to “deep structural weaknesses” in the country’s internal security system.

He particularly identified poor coverage, manpower shortages, inadequate funding, weak logistics and lack of political will.

“The police have a very acute shortage of manpower. That issue, the president tried to address it by withdrawing policemen from unauthorised people. But that has not solved the problem. And that will not solve the problem. There should be massive recruitment of personnel in the police.”

“Ideally, every police station should have a minimum of two patrol vehicles. That is the minimum. And there must be a communication system that will cover the whole area.”

“People continue to attack police stations and innocent people because they know the people they are going to attack will not have the capacity to repel them,” he stated.

The retired AIG called for a comprehensive police reform with emphasis on revitalising the Police Mobile Force.

On his part, Abdullahi Garba, an intelligence expert, said policing in Nigeria should be technologically-driven to be ahead of criminals.

“Yes, almost all jobs or professions have its own hazard, but security in every society is crucial. That means, before anyone can be saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives, he or she must first be protected. A situation where the officers cannot be adequately protected is an indictment of the Nigerian State that has given them the mandate of protecting lives and property.

“The government needs to fortify these police with necessary equipment if at all they don’t want these officers to be killed like chickens. There is also a need for improved intelligence using technology where possible,” Garba said.

Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said attacks on police officers “reflect not just the brutality of armed groups, but also the vulnerability of police personnel who are often deployed without adequate intelligence, equipment, welfare support or operational backup.”

He added, “When police officers become soft targets, public safety is inevitably weakened and communities are left more exposed to violence and lawlessness.

“Protecting police lives requires intelligence-led policing, fortified and well-designed police infrastructure, improved welfare and morale and stronger community trust to prevent attacks before they occur.

“Equally important is ensuring accountability and professionalism within the police, as public cooperation is critical to effective security.

“The state has a duty of care to police officers, just as it does to civilians, and failure to meet this obligation fuels a vicious cycle of insecurity, fear, and repression that ultimately undermines both human rights and effective law enforcement.” (Daily Trust)