Why the Police and Immigration Budgets Need to Be Higher Than the Military Budget

Abstract

Nigeria’s 2025 budget of 54.99 trillion naira allocates about 6.5 trillion naira to the security sector, with 3.1 trillion directed to defence, 1.31 trillion to the police, and 1.11 trillion to immigration and border management under the Interior Ministry. This distribution reflects a long-standing emphasis on military readiness for external threats, while agencies responsible for internal security receive comparatively limited resources. Evidence shows that states with larger landmasses and multiple international borders experience higher crime rates and ransom payments, underscoring the need for effective border governance. At the same time, the Nigerian Immigration Service remains underfunded and less integrated into the broader security framework. The persistence of insecurity despite a substantial military presence demonstrates the limitations of relying mainly on the armed forces for domestic policing. Military deployments have at times marginalised the police, eroded community trust, and created tensions with local inhabitants. The gap between strategic defence priorities and the everyday security challenges faced by citizens’ calls for a more balanced allocation of resources. International experiences provide instructive lessons. South Africa prioritised police funding over military expansion to address domestic crime. In contrast, countries in the Sahel that focused on military spending have seen rising insecurity. For Nigeria, a rebalanced strategy is essential. This includes focusing on aligning resources with internal security priorities, expanding police and immigration personnel to ensure adequate per capita, modernising border management systems, establishing predictable budgetary processes Expanding police recruitment, equipping officers with modern investigative and forensic technology, Moreover, domestic deployment of the military should be temporal and limited to constitutionally defined circumstances.