President Buhari approves re-organisation of Nigeria police, decentralizes Force CID and creates new formations

President Buhari has approved the re-organization of the Nigeria Police Force and the creation of a new unit among other structural changes.

In a May 27 police circular signed by the Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu, it was gathered that the Nigerian President approved the detachment of the Force Intelligence Bureau from the Force Criminal Investigation Department, so it can become a full-fledged department. He also approved the decentralisation of the FCID, with two new additional annex offices in Enugu and Gombe respectively for criminal cases emanating from the south-south and south-east zones and the north-east zone.

There are now 8 departments in the Police Force and four annexes. Each annex will be headed by an Assistant Inspector-General of Police who will be reporting to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police heading the FCID at the headquarters in Abuja.

IGP Adamu Mohammed who disclosed that the restructuring is aimed at fully integrating “intelligence-led policing strategy into the Community Policing initiative in addressing the threats that the dynamics of crimes pose”, also announced the creation of five additional 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 statement added;

“In order to enhance the capacity of the four premiere Police Colleges in Kaduna, Ikeja, Maiduguri and Orji River 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.

“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 to aid in the entrenchment of the community policing practice as approved by the Federal Government.”

President Buhari who is the chairman of the police council which includes 36 state governors, is now expected to summon a meeting of the council to ratify the reorganisation.