IGP DISU DID NOT DISBAND POLICE UNITS, FORCE CLARIFIES, ORDERS STREAMLINING

 IGP DISU DID NOT DISBAND POLICE UNITS, FORCE CLARIFIES, ORDERS STREAMLINING

The Nigeria Police Force has debunked reports claiming that the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu psc ordered the outright disbandment of all police tactical units across state commands nationwide, TMnews report.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, the police described the widely circulated report as a misrepresentation of the IGP’s directive.

According to the statement, the IGP only directed a reduction and restructuring of tactical teams, not their total dissolution. The move, the Force explained, is aimed at addressing public concerns over the proliferation of such units and allegations of misconduct arising from poorly supervised operations.

The police leadership acknowledged that while tactical teams play a critical role in crime-fighting, their unchecked expansion across commands has overstretched personnel and weakened the effectiveness of conventional police divisions.

To address this, the IGP has now ordered that:
Tactical teams at Zonal and State Command levels be limited to a maximum of five units.

Those at Area Command and Divisional levels be reduced to a maximum of three units.
The directive allows Commissioners of Police and Heads of formations to achieve compliance through merging or disbanding units where necessary.

The Force further clarified that the directive does not affect state-backed security outfits, including Lagos State’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Oyo State’s Special Response Squad (SRS), and Bayelsa’s Operation DOO-AKPOR, among others.

The restructuring, according to the statement, is expected to free up personnel for deployment to police stations, enhance supervision and reduce complaints of excesses often associated with tactical units.
Reaffirming his commitment to reforms, IGP Disu emphasized the need for a more accountable, professional and people-friendly police force, noting that the move aligns with his earlier pledge to rebuild public trust and strengthen operational efficiency across the Force.

The clarification comes amid growing public scrutiny of police operations and calls for improved conduct and service delivery nationwide.