Police Clarify ‘Disbandment’ Claim: Disu Orders Nationwide Reduction, Restructuring of Tactical Units
Abuja, March 22, 2026 — The Nigeria Police Force has debunked widespread reports claiming that the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, ordered the disbandment of all police tactical units across state commands, describing the narrative as a misrepresentation of his directive.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Okon Placid, the police clarified that the IGP did not dissolve all units but instead directed a strategic reduction and restructuring of tactical teams nationwide.
According to the statement, the IGP expressed concern over the unchecked proliferation of tactical units by Commissioners of Police and heads of formations, noting that the trend has depleted manpower at police divisions and contributed to misconduct due to poor supervision.
Rather than a blanket disbandment, Disu ordered that tactical teams at Zonal and State Command levels be limited to a maximum of five, while those at Area Command and Divisional levels should not exceed three teams. The restructuring, the police said, may involve merging or disbanding certain units at the discretion of command heads.
The directive, however, excludes special outfits established by state governments, such as Lagos State’s Rapid Response Squad, Oyo State’s Special Response Squad, and Bayelsa’s Operation DOO-AKPOR.
The police leadership emphasized that the move is aimed at strengthening accountability, improving supervision, and enhancing community trust, while also redeploying personnel to understaffed police stations.
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“The IGP remains committed to building a people-friendly police force and addressing public concerns about the excesses of tactical teams,” the statement added.
The clarification comes amid growing public scrutiny of police operations and calls for reforms to ensure professionalism and respect for citizens’ rights.
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