In a significant operational directive, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has mandated a restructuring of tactical teams within the Nigeria Police Force. The new policy caps the number of such teams at a maximum of five per state command and three per divisional command. This clarification was formally issued by the Force in a statement designed to counter online misinformation falsely claiming a nationwide disbandment of police units.
The rationale behind this move is to rationalize resources and address critical manpower imbalances. The Police statement noted that the unchecked proliferation of multiple tactical units by some Commissioners of Police and formation heads has, in many instances, drained essential personnel from regular Police Divisions and Posts. This depletion has been linked to increased complaints concerning officer misconduct and operational inefficiency. It is worth noting that state-government-created outfits, such as Lagos State’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS), are not affected by this directive.
This restructuring initiative aims to achieve several key objectives: freeing officers for core, regular policing duties, strengthening supervisory oversight, improving accountability, and ultimately reducing public grievances. The goal is to foster a more people-friendly and efficient police service. This directive aligns with broader, previous initiatives to correct manpower distribution, such as the presidential order to withdraw police officers from VIP security details, a move that echoes the current effort to bolster community-level policing.
While the Police Service Commission (PCC) receives and addresses thousands of public petitions annually, this operational reform seeks to proactively mitigate issues at their source. The IGP’s focus on internal efficiency complements other national efforts, from economic discussions at the Nigeria House in Davos to the cultural influence of Nollywood’s top 10 movies. Ultimately, the success of such reforms is measured by their impact on community safety and officer welfare, a priority underscored by the recent disbursement of N2.4 billion to families of officers who died in service.
