The Nigeria Police Force is a very large organisation consisting of 36 State commands and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) grouped into 17 zones and 8 administrative organs.

They were often deployed throughout the country, but in 1989, well into Nigeria's second military dictatorship, Ibrahim Babangida announced that a more significant number of officers would be posted to their native areas to facilitate police-community relations.

The armed forces chief of staff announced a thorough reorganization of the NPF into the seven new area commands and five directorates (criminal investigations, logistics, supplies, training, and operations) under deputy inspectors general.

As part of the government reorganization in September 1990, Alhajji Sumaila Gwarzo, formerly SSS director, was named to the new post of minister of state, police affairs.

Laws of the Federation, 2004, and provides for a more effective and well-organized Police Force, driven by the principles of transparency and accountability in its operations and management of its resources.

[7] It also addresses the challenges of structuring, appointments, promotions, discipline, postings, living conditions, pension and retirement benefits of the Nigeria Police Force.

[20] Numerous Nigerians had long accused the controversial police unit of committing acts of extortion, rape, torture and murder.

[2] Constitutional provision also exists, however, for the establishment of separate NPF branches "forming part of the armed forces of the Federation or for their protection of harbours, waterways, railways and airfields."

The NPF maintains a three-tier administrative structure of departments, zonal and state commands: The Directorate of Operations was subdivided into four units under a deputy director—operations, training, communications, and the Mobile Police.

The 1979 constitution provided for a Police Service Commission that was responsible for NPF policy, organization, administration, and finance (except for pensions).

These increases were used to acquire new communications equipment, transport, and weapons to combat the rising crime wave, such as 100 British Leyland DAF Comet trucks delivered in 1990 Despite these purchases, an NPF study in late 1990 concluded that the force's budget must double to meet its needs.

The Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari on 26 November 2018 approved a new salary structure,[24][25][26] however the details are yet to be made public hence it is not included or updated into the table below.

[27] Corruption and dishonesty were widespread, engendering a low level of public confidence, failure to report crimes, and tendencies to resort to self-help.

Police were more adept at paramilitary operations and the exercise of force than at community service functions or crime prevention, detection, and investigation.

[28] During the Regime of former head of state Olusegun Obasanjo, an attempt was made to expand the NPF by reducing the recruitment age from nineteen to seventeen and by enrolling demobilized soldiers, but it failed.

In an effort to reduce bribery and to make identification of offenders easier, police officers on beats and at checkpoints were not allowed to carry more than N5 on their person.

In September 2005, Nigeria withdrew 120 police officers serving in the United Nations Congo mission because of accusations that they had engaged in sexual abuses.

The most recent victim of which is Yusuf Mohamed, the leader of the Boko Haram sect in Nigeria, was alive when captured by the army.

[35] On 10 November 2019, the Nigerian Police Force issued a statement revealing that Safer Highways Patrol officer Onuh Makedomu was arrested after being filmed accepting a bribe from a motorist in Lagos.

[37] On 11 April 2020, another Nigeria Police Force officer from Lagos, Inspector Taloju Martins, was arrested after being caught on camera exhorting a motorist.

[38][39] On 3 June 2020, the Adamawa State police command announced that one of its officers was arrested for murdering a motorcycle motorist who refused to pay him a bribe.

[42] On 21 August 2019, four operatives of the Nigerian Police Force's notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) were arrested and charged with murder after being caught on film manhandling and then shooting to death two suspected phone thieves in broad daylight.

[46] On 28 April 2020, it was reported that the Nigerian Police Force's Rivers State Police Command arraigned former Sergeant Bitrus Osaiah in court for shooting to death his female colleague, Lavender Elekwachi, during a raid on street trading and illegal motor parks the previous week.

[citation needed] On 21 May 2020, Yahaha Adeshina, the Divisional Police Officer of Ilemba Hausa Division, was arresting for assisting Kehinde Elijah and Ezeh Joseph in the 10 May 2020 murder of sergeant Onalaja Onajide.

[55] Another report by Amnesty International USA accused the NPF of intimidation of Journalists, forced eviction, and other human rights violation.

[56] On 12 May 2020, ThisDay newspaper carried a report on the gross abuse and violation of human rights committed by the Nigerian Police Force during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

[59] Modeled after the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna, the NPA would offer a five-year academic and professional degree program for new cadets and an eighteen-month intensive course for college graduates aspiring to a police career.