Against the backdrop of a worsening security situation marked by mass abductions, school attacks and renewed banditry across several parts of the country, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Olatunji Disu, on Tuesday announced the deployment of Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) to their respective zones as part of a fresh strategy to strengthen security nationwide.
The directive, which takes effect from June 15, was unveiled during a meeting with Strategic Police Managers, comprising Commissioners of Police (CPs) from across the federation, in Abuja.
The move comes at a time when public anxiety over insecurity is mounting. In recent days alone, dozens of villagers in Zamfara State were reportedly abducted during a peace meeting with bandits, while outrage continues over the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers in parts of Oyo State. The House of Representatives on Tuesday also summoned security chiefs over what lawmakers described as the deteriorating security situation in several states of the federation.
Determined to halt the growing menace, Disu said the deployment of DIGs was aimed at strengthening supervision, improving operational coordination, enhancing accountability and providing strategic oversight of policing activities within their zones.
“This deployment is not ceremonial,” the police chief declared. “It is intended to bring leadership closer to the field, improve response mechanisms and ensure that emergency reports receive prompt attention.”
In what appears to be a direct response to the increasing mobility of criminal gangs operating across state boundaries, the IGP ordered Commissioners of Police to immediately establish “handshake patrols” with neighbouring commands.
According to him, the era in which criminals commit offences in one state and find refuge in another must come to an end.
“The practice of committing crimes in one state and escaping to another must be disrupted through deliberate collaboration and joint operational planning,” he said.
He directed state commands to mount coordinated patrols along major entry and exit corridors, strengthen intelligence-sharing mechanisms and maintain round-the-clock communication channels to facilitate swift responses to security threats.
The order comes as security agencies battle a surge in kidnapping-for-ransom operations, which security analysts say have expanded beyond traditional flashpoints in the North-West and North-East to parts of the South-West and Middle Belt. Recent attacks on schools and communities have sparked nationwide protests by teachers, students and civil society groups demanding greater protection for citizens.
The police boss also instructed CPs to maintain direct contact with their counterparts in neighbouring states and regularly review security deployments to close operational gaps exploited by criminal elements.
Despite recent successes by security forces, including the rescue of hundreds of abductees from insurgent captivity in Borno State, authorities acknowledge that the security challenge remains formidable.
Beyond operational directives, Disu charged senior officers to improve engagement with the media, stressing that public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force depends not only on security outcomes but also on transparent communication.
He warned that the Force’s relationship with journalists should not be restricted to announcing arrests and operational breakthroughs.
“Public perception can influence confidence in our institution as well as our operational outcomes,” he noted. “Our relationship with the media must involve timely clarification of facts and information.”
The IGP further vowed that the police would not surrender the information space to criminals, rumour merchants or individuals seeking to erode public trust in law enforcement institutions.
His latest directives are expected to place greater responsibility on police commanders at a time when insecurity has become one of the most pressing national concerns, with citizens increasingly demanding decisive action against kidnappers, terrorists, bandits and other criminal groups threatening lives and livelihoods across the country.
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