NVMA Meets Nigeria Police Force in Abuja to Strengthen Public Safety Partnerships, Improve Police Veterinary Facilities

The two bodies are working to deepen collaboration between the veterinary profession and the police.

The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) has met with the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja to strengthen public safety partnerships and improve veterinary facilities within the Force.

The meeting brought together leaders of the national veterinary body and the police to discuss closer collaboration on animal health and public safety, with a focus on upgrading the facilities that serve police animals and veterinary personnel.

The NVMA is the umbrella body of registered veterinarians in Nigeria, and is committed to advancing the education, science and art of Veterinary Medicine and Production through advocacy, ethical standards and collaboration with other professionals. Its current President is Dr Moses Arokoyo.

The Police Force has a dedicated veterinary arm. The Force Animal Branch is headed by an Assistant Inspector-General of Police and oversees the veterinary section, the dog section and the mounted troop, and is responsible for the health care management of Force animals nationwide. Working animals such as police dogs and horses play a key role in security operations, which is why their health, and the facilities that care for them, matter to public safety. 

The police also have a substantial pool of veterinary professionals. At a workshop in Abuja in November 2025, the Minister of Livestock Development said the Force has more than 80 veterinarians and over 70 veterinary paraprofessionals, and urged them to use their nationwide deployment to support disease surveillance and vaccination campaigns. 

The latest meeting is seen as a step towards building on that foundation, with the NVMA's professional expertise supporting the police in improving animal health care and facilities.