The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has banned the personnel of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and other Tactical Squads of the Force including the Special Tactical Squad (STS), Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Anti-Cultism Squad and other Tactical Squads operating at the Federal, Zonal and Command levels, from carrying out routine patrols and other conventional low-risk duties.

The IGP in a statement released by force PRO Frank Mba and made available on the Nigerian Police Twitter handle @PoliceNG also ban the operatives from stop and search duties, checkpoints, mounting of roadblocks, traffic checks with immediate effect.

In addition, no personnel of the Force is authorized to embark on patrols or tactical assignments in mufti.

” They must always appear in their police uniforms or approved tactical gear. The IGP’s directives come against the backdrop of findings by the leadership of the Force that a few personnel of the Tactical Squads hide under these guise to perpetrate all forms of illegality, contrary to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement establishing the squads.” The statement reads.

The IGP has also warned the Tactical Squads against the invasion of the privacy of citizens particularly through indiscriminate and unauthorized search of mobile phones, laptops and other smart devices.

He said the operatives are to concentrate and respond only to cases of armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes when the need arises.

” The IGP notes that the FSARS and other Police Tactical Squads remain a critical component of the Force in confronting prevailing and emerging violent crimes in the country.” The statement further reads.