President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate reorganization of the Nigeria Police Force.
These adjustments as approved by the President who also serves in the capacity of Chairman, Nigeria Police Council are aimed at expanding and strengthening the Intelligence Department of the Nigeria Police Force towards driving the intelligence-led policing strategy of the Force leadership.
The reorganization also aims to enrich community Policing practices as approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In a letter signed by the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, dated 27th May 2020 and addressed to Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs), Assistant Inspector Generals (AIGs), Commissioners of Police and the Commandant, Police College Ikeja, Kaduna, Oji-River and Maiduguri, the IGP outlined and explained the patterns of reorganization approved by President Buhari.
According to the letter which was sighted by The Street Journal, the reorganization patterns are explained below.
1. Reorganization of the Intelligence Arm of the Force
The President approved the formal excision of the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) to become a fully-fledged Department to be headed by a DIG. With this, the Nigerian Police Force now has eight (8) Departments.
2. Reorganization of the Force Criminal Investigation Department
The FCID has now been further decentralized in line with the principle of Community Policing. In view of this, two new Annex Offices of the Department in addition to those in Lagos and Kaduna will be established. One in Enugu, to take care of criminal investigations from the South East and South-South; and another in Gombe to take of criminal investigation from the North East Geopolitical zone.
All the Annex Offices will be headed by AIGs who will then report to the DIG.
3. Reorganization of Zonal Police Headquarters Structure
President Buhari also approved the creation of Zonal Commands in Akure (composed of Ondo and Ekiti Commands), Ukpo-Dunukofia (composed of Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi Commands), Yenogoa (composed of Bayelsa and Rivers Command), Maiduguri (composed of Yobe and Borno Commands) and Katsina (composed of Katsina and Kaduna Commands).
4. New Structure for the Premiere Nigeria Police College
The structure is aimed at enhancing the capacity of the four Premiere Police Colleges in Kaduna, Ikeja, Maiduguri and Oji-River in order to meet the training and capacity development of the Force, in relation to Junior Cadre Officers.
President Buhari also directed that Commandants of the Colleges be upgraded to AIG, in order to strengthen administration, staff commitment, promote discipline and improve quality of training of the colleges.
Finally, the IGP has directed that the reorganization be made a subject of lecture for the information of all Officers of the Nigeria Police Force.
