The Acting Inspector-General of Police (I-G) Mr Usman Baba has ordered the immediate disbandment of the I-G Monitoring Units in Lagos and Port Harcourt with immediate effect.
Baba gave the order on Thursday in Abuja at the opening of a conference of Police Strategic Commanders, consisting of officers with the rank of Commissioner of Police (CP) and above.
The I-G also ordered the streamlining of the personnel profile of the I-G Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters to not more than 50 operatives.
The police boss announced the banning of the unit from undertaking criminal investigations, including taking over of cases from Police Commands in States.
According to him, under the current dispensation, the unit will only operate within their original mandate, to investigate complaints of alleged professional infractions against serving officers.
Baba said the directives were in furtherance to the reorganisation plans of the force and its commitment to return to the basics in policing.
He said the repositioning initiatives were being worked out in relation to other ad hoc investigative units in the force.
The police boss said the idea was to restore professionalism, address citizens’ concerns on rights abuses resulting from the existence and operations of the ad hoc investigation units.
Baba said it was also to discourage duplication of police functions that encouraged indiscipline and abuse of police processes.
He said the conference was convened for him to interact with the officers and define his Mission Statement and organisational vision.
The police boss said it was also to assess the current internal security situation across the country, review strategies and emplace sets of strategic actions to restore order and public confidence.
“I must reemphasise that the major task ahead of us is to address secession threats, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and sundry violent crimes in the shortest possible time.
“I appreciate the sacrifices that most of you have been making and the successes you have recorded in the war against criminality and secessionist agenda.
“I also acknowledge the challenges associated with your duties but the reality is that more grounds need to be covered if we are to restore public confidence,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in 2015, then acting Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, in enforcing the Police Anti-Corruption initiative, set up the IGP Teams on Monitoring of police performance to immediately commence the monitoring of activities/conducts of Police officers on the Highways, Police stations and formations nationwide. (NAN)
