In sweeping reforms in policing in Nigeria, newly appointed acting Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun is to introduce a Special Intervention Squad (SIS) and withdraw Police Mobile Force (PMS) personnel on escort/guard duties with VIP’s across the country.
The SIS will number 40,000 highly trained police officers drawn from the PMS and various tactical units.
Egbetokun disclosed the new initiative during a meeting with Squadron leaders and Tactical Commanders in Abuja on Monday.
He said the personnel of SIS “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.”
At least 1000 SIS officers will be deployed to each of the 36 states and the federal capital and the balance sent to “more troubled spots of zones”.
The IGP said the men of SIS will not “perform routine police duties but will be housed and kept combat-ready at all times engaging in daily training readiness for deployments to intercept and neutralize high-profile criminals and those terrorising our communities.”
Egbetoken said although the protection of dignitaries remained paramount his focus was to “realign our priorities to address the escalating security challenges faced by the nation as a whole”.
The task of designing the new policy and its implementation was assigned to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations) who has two weeks to submit his report to the IG.
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