The Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has dismissed reports claiming that all police units and squads across the country have been disbanded, describing the information as misleading.
In a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Placid, the IGP clarified that no such sweeping decision was taken under his leadership.
According to the police authorities, the directive in question only involves a reduction in the number of tactical teams, not a total disbandment.
The IGP ordered that: Tactical teams at zonal and state command levels be limited to a maximum of five, tactical teams at area command and divisional levels be reduced to a maximum of three
The move, according to the statement, is aimed at addressing the proliferation and duplication of tactical units across commands.
“This report is a misrepresentation of the IGP’s directives,” the statement said.
The police chief expressed concern about the increasing number of tactical teams created by various Commissioners of Police and heads of formations, noting that this trend has led to operational challenges.
While acknowledging the importance of tactical teams in crime-fighting, the IGP said their uncontrolled expansion has: Drained manpower from police divisions and stations, created supervision challenges, contributed to public complaints and misconduct
He emphasized that poorly supervised units have, in some cases, affected the integrity of the Nigeria Police Force.
To address these issues, the directive allows commands to merge or disband excess teams where necessary, at the discretion of leadership at various levels.
The goal is to: Strengthen police divisions, improve supervision and accountability, reduce cases of misconduct by tactical teams, enhance overall service delivery to the public
The police clarified that the directive does not apply to state-backed security outfits, including: Lagos State’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Oyo State’s Special Response Squad (SRS), Bayelsa’s Operation DOO-AKPOR
These units remain outside the scope of the IGP’s directive.
Reiterating his vision for a more accountable and citizen-focused police force, IGP Disu said the reform is part of broader efforts to improve public trust and policing standards.
The statement noted that the restructuring will help redeploy officers to police stations, addressing manpower shortages and reducing complaints from citizens.
