The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has refuted reports claiming that the Inspector-General of Police ordered the disbandment of all police tactical units nationwide, describing such claims as misleading.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Force clarified that the directive by the IGP, Olatunji Disu, was not a blanket dissolution but a strategic move aimed at restructuring and reducing the number of tactical teams.
According to the police, “the IGP did not order a blanket dissolution of tactical units,” stressing that the directive had been misinterpreted in some reports.
Instead, the Force explained that the move seeks to address concerns over the growing number of tactical squads, which has contributed to manpower shortages at police divisions and challenges in effective supervision.
The statement further noted that while tactical teams remain critical to crime-fighting operations, their unchecked proliferation has raised issues affecting operational efficiency and public trust.
As part of the restructuring, the IGP directed a reduction in the number of tactical units across formations. Under the new arrangement, state and zonal commands are to maintain a limited number of teams, while area commands and divisions will operate fewer units, with possible mergers or disbandments carried out at the discretion of commanders.
The police added that the policy does not affect state-backed security outfits and is designed to redeploy personnel to grassroots policing, improve supervision, and enhance accountability within the Force.
Reaffirming its commitment to professionalism, the NPF urged the public and media to verify sensitive information before dissemination to avoid misinformation.
