By Ayo Kehinde
Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has clarified that his recent directive on police tactical units was to reduce their number as part of efforts to enhance accountability, efficiency, and public trust in the Force.
This clarification was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Okon Placid, who described as misleading, reports by some online media claiming that the Inspector-General had ordered the immediate disbandment of multiple tactical teams nationwide.
According to the statement, the IGP remains fully aware of public concerns regarding the operations of police tactical teams and the increasing number of such units created across state commands by Commissioners of Police and heads of formations.
While acknowledging the critical role these teams play in combating crime, Disu expressed concern that their proliferation has drained personnel from police divisions and posts, thereby weakening grassroots policing and contributing to incidents that have raised questions about the Force’s integrity.
To address the situation, the IGP directed that tactical teams at the Zonal and State Command levels be limited to a maximum of five, while those at the Area Command and Divisional levels should not exceed three. The directive allows heads of formations the discretion to either merge or disband teams to meet the new structure.
The police hierarchy, however, clarified that the directive does not affect state-established security outfits such as Lagos State’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Oyo State’s Special Response Squad (SRS), and Bayelsa State’s Operation DOO-AKPOR, among others.
The statement further noted that the reduction is expected to free up personnel for deployment to police stations, thereby strengthening community policing and addressing complaints linked to the conduct of some tactical operatives.
Reaffirming his commitment to a people-oriented police force, the IGP emphasised that the move is part of broader reforms to improve supervision, enhance discipline, and restore public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force.
The Force assured that it will continue to pursue reforms to ensure professionalism and align its operations with global best practices in law enforcement.
