The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has approved some re-organizations within the Nigeria Police Force with immediate effect.
The approvals are to make the force more effective in the discharge of its duties as well as bring security closer to the people of the country.
As part of the president’s approval, the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) will soon be detached from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) so that it can become a full-fledged Department. The FIB will then be headed by a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG).
The re-organization was communicated in a memo personally signed by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, and sighted by PRNigeria.
The memo titled, “Force Re-organisation”, said with the approval, the NPF now has eight Departments based on the approval given by President Buhari in his capacity as Chairman of the Nigeria Police Council.
“This is expected to fully integrate intelligence-led policing strategy to the community policing initiative in addressing the threats that the dynamics of crime poses to the country,” said IGP.
Buhari has also approved the creation of additional five Zonal Commands.
They include Ondo/Ekiti Commands with the Headquarters in Akure; Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi Commands with the Headquarters in Awka; Bayelsa/Rivers Commands with the Headquarters in Yenagoa; Yobe/Borno Commands with the Headquarters in Maiduguri; and Katsina/Kaduna Commands in Katsina.
The memo added: “In order to enhance the capacity of the four premiere Police Colleges in Kaduna, Ikeja, Maiduguri and Orji – Rivers towards meeting the training and capacity development projection of the Force in relation to junior cadre officers, Mr. President approved that the status of the Commandants of the Colleges be upgraded to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG).
“This will strengthen administration, enhance the commitment of staff, and engender higher level of discipline and the quality of training at the Colleges. These approvals were granted by the President in furtherance to the need to expand and strengthen the Intelligence Department towards driving the intelligence-led policing strategy of the Force leadership and to aid in the entrenchment of the community policing practice as approved by the Federal Government.”
