IGP Disu orders reduction of tactical squads nationwide
In a major reform initiative aimed at curbing the excesses of specialized police units and bolstering grassroots security, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has ordered a drastic reduction of tactical squads across the country.
The directive is a direct response to growing public outcry over the unchecked proliferation and poor supervision of these specialized teams, which have frequently been at the center of public complaints.
To restore integrity and accountability to the Force, the IGP has imposed strict operational caps on how many tactical teams can exist within any jurisdiction.
Moving forward, Zonal and State Commands are restricted to operating a maximum of five tactical units. Similarly, Area Commands and Divisional levels are now limited to a maximum of three teams. Heads of formations have been instructed to immediately merge or disband redundant units to comply with these new limits.
This restructuring specifically targets internally created police squads and does not affect state-government-funded security outfits.
Operations such as the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Lagos, the SRS in Oyo State, and Operation DOO-AKPOR in Bayelsa remain fully exempt from the downsizing directive and will continue their standard operations.
The Force Headquarters also took the opportunity to dismiss recent online reports claiming that the IGP had completely dissolved all tactical units.
Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, clarified that while IGP Disu deeply values the frontline crime-fighting contributions of tactical teams, their over-multiplication has become unsustainable.
The arbitrary creation of these units by various Commissioners of Police has severely drained essential manpower from standard Police Divisions and Posts, leaving local communities under-policed.
By streamlining the number of specialized units, the Force aims to redeploy a significant number of officers back to regular police stations. This strategic shift directly aligns with the IGP’s maiden promise to build a people-friendly and accountable police force.
The streamlined structure will allow for much tighter supervision of the remaining tactical teams, ultimately removing the root causes of public grievances and strengthening community trust in the Nigeria Police Force.