How Police Will Fight Insecurity With New Squad- IGP

The Nigeria Police Force has established a 40,000-man elite corps selected from the Police Mobile Force (PMF) and other tactical units to fight the menace of insecurity across the regions of the country.

The newly appointed acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, during his first meeting with strategic commanders, described the elite corps as a specialized Quick Intervention Squad.

They will comprise personnel with “effective and enhanced training in crisis de-escalation and violent crime reduction strategies; leveraging cutting-edge tools, data analytics, and intelligence networks for a robust and effective human and technical intelligence gathering process to enhance Police capacity; and strengthened inter-agency collaboration”, according to the IGP.

While addressing the operatives of the PMF, Special Protection Unit (SPU), and other Tactical Units on Monday, Acting IGP Egbetokun disclosed details of the new squad.

According to him, the selected officers will undergo intensive pre-deployment training to make them combat-ready for frontline operational duties in all the states, particularly in areas plagued with unrest and turmoil.

“By pooling together the expertise and experience of our PMF personnel and other tactical units, we can establish a formidable force that is well-equipped to handle the evolving challenges we face.

“This dedicated force will bolster our capacity to respond swiftly and decisively to security threats, ensuring that our presence is felt and our response is effective in every corner of our country,’ Egbetokun said.

The police boss noted that a total of 1000 personnel will be deployed to every state for immediate operations as standby intervention units, while more troubled spots or zones will receive the remaining officers out of the 40,000.

“These officers will not perform routine police duties but will be housed and kept combat-ready at all times engaging in daily training in readiness for deployments to intercept and neutralize high-profile criminals and those terrorizing our communities.

“They will be deployed to intervene rapidly and proactively in any situation necessary in their states of assignment,” he noted.

IGP added that all Tactical Commanders will be involved in the process of identifying suitable candidates from within their respective units.

He highlighted the criteria to include agility; experience; character; commitment to excel in challenging and demanding environments; ability to combat evolving criminal activities, insurgency, and other security threats, especially the activities of non-state actors.

He however said, “In order to optimize the efficiency of our resources, we shall carry out a re-evaluation of the responsibilities assigned to the PMF. Specifically, we shall effect the withdrawal of PMF personnel from VIP escort/guard duties.

“While the protection of dignitaries remains paramount, it is imperative that we realign our priorities to address the escalating security challenges faced by the nation as a whole.

“By relieving the PMF of VIP escort and guard duties, we can redirect their focus and efforts toward addressing critical security concerns that affect our communities at large.

“To support the foregoing strategic plan and make needed manpower available for frontline duties, the withdrawn PMF officers will be replaced by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) only where necessary”.