Police To Launch Special Intervention Squad In 10 States

Acting inspector-general of police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has vowed to combat violent crimes and restore peace to promote economic growth and prosperity in Nigeria.

He revealed plans to establish a Special Intervention Squad (SIS) to be a standby team of specially trained officers to rapidly intervene in major incidents and would operate in 10 states.

The IGP said, “The squad will be deployed in each command to deal with the state’s salient security challenges. Concrete steps have already been taken to facilitate the smooth take-off of the SIS in 10 pilot states, already identified based on the recent violent crime assessment carried out in all the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, while the other 27 states will immediately follow”.

Egbetokun made the disclosure yesterday during the opening ceremony of the 4th edition of the senior police officers conference and retreat holding in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

He said the retreat was the platform for the force leadership to critically assess the security situation in the country with a view to adequately confront the array of challenges in the internal security space.

Speaking on the theme of the retreat titled, “Fostering Economic Prosperity, Social Integration and Political Development through Enhanced Internal Security Mechanism” Egbetokun disclosed that at the end of the meeting, important strategic objectives that will shape the policies of the police force and drive its new policing vision will be recommended.

While assuring that there would be a total reform of the police force in line with the vision of President Bola Tinubu, he promised that rights of the citizens and welfare of his men would be greatly upheld.

The IGP said the police is committed to addressing the menace of violent crimes, restoring calm,  and engendering peace, safety, and security which will promote economic growth and prosperity across the country.

He said, “The Police Force under my watch is poised to confront the menace of violent crimes in our country, restore calm to troubled areas and engender an atmosphere of peace, safety and security which will promote national economic growth and prosperity.”

Egbetokun expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for the approval given for the specialised training to commence in November for the initial team of instructors for the SIS.

According to him, the reform will address the old habits of officers saying, “The Force recognises that good attitudinal and professional conduct of our officers are central to attaining the ideals we have chosen to embrace as the lead agency in Nigeria’s internal security.

“The Nigeria Police Force is conscious of the fact that in our duty to secure society and restore peace and public order, are indispensable partners. The Force is determined to further refine the perception of our officers to the essential concepts of human rights, the rule of law, and citizen-focused policing.