IGP creates Special Intervention Squad, to deploy 40,000 nationwide

The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, on Monday, announced the creation of a Special Intervention Squad comprising 40,000 elite officers.

The IGP announced this at a meeting with heads of police tactical units in Abuja.

He added that the police leadership would withdraw Police Mobile Force (PMF) currently on VIP and escort guard duties.

Egbetokun said: “In light of the current challenges, a series of operational strategies have been developed which is aimed at strengthening our capabilities to effectively deliver our mandates.

“Some of these will be discussed in this conference in a bid to kick-start the process of regaining our pride of place in the internal security architecture of our dear country.

“Our objective is to assess, discuss and implement crucial operational strategies that will enhance our law enforcement capabilities and safeguard the lives and property of our citizens.

“The squad will be formed by selecting officers from the pool of existing Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel and all tactical units in the country.

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“These officers will undergo intensive pre-deployment training to make them combat-ready for frontline operational duties in all the states of the Federation, with a particular focus on 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.

“One thousand personnel from this new squad will be deployed to every state of the federation for immediate operations as standby intervention units, while more troubled spots or zones will receive the remaining officers out of the 40,000.”