IGP Disu disbands police tactical units nationwide, orders restructuring

There is growing tension within the Nigeria Police Force following an order by Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu directing the immediate dissolution of multiple tactical units across commands nationwide.

The directive, conveyed through an internal wireless message after a virtual meeting with senior officers, ordered that all tactical teams at command, area command and divisional levels be scrapped with immediate effect.

Affected units reportedly include Rapid Response Squad, Anti-Cultism, Anti-Kidnapping, Scorpion Squad, Tactical Intelligence Response Squad, Special Weapons and Tactics, Monitoring Units, Tiger Squad, Gender Units and Anti-Robbery squads.

According to the signal, the dissolved formations will be restructured into two new operational units to be defined by the Deputy Inspector-General in charge of Operations, while existing teams are to cease operations.

“Following the IGP’s directives… all existing tactical teams at commands are being reformed into two,” the message stated.

Under the interim arrangement, only area commands and divisional surveillance units will operate, while affected personnel are to be redeployed to conventional policing roles, including patrol, guard duties, the Divisional Crime Branch and the Juvenile and Women Centre.

“The dissolved teams are to be subsumed into patrol and guard, DCB, JWC and beat with immediate effect,” the directive added.

Further details of the restructuring are expected at the police Officers’ Conference scheduled for March 26, 2026.

Although no official reason was provided, the move comes amid longstanding public concerns over alleged abuses, extortion and extrajudicial actions linked to some tactical units.

The development also follows plans by the police authorities to conduct a resit promotion exercise for officers reportedly overlooked in previous promotion cycles, amid allegations of irregularities under former IGP Kayode Egbetokun.