The Inspector General of Police IGP M.A. Adamu on Tuesday, October 13 announced a new Police unit to take over from the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force.
The new unit is called the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team and will fill the gaps arising from the dissolution of the defunct SARS.
According to the IGP, the new team under SWAT will undergo psychological and medical examination to ascertain their fitness and eligibility for the new assignment and commence training at the different Police tactical training institutions nationwide, next week.
He disclosed that personnel from the Police Commands in the South-East and the South-South will be trained at the Counter-Terrorism College, Nonwa-Tai, Rivers State, while officers from the Police Commands from the North will be trained at the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ende, Nasarawa State and officers from the South-West will be trained at the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ila-Orangun, Osun State.
Adamu has also in accordance with Section 18 (10) of the Police Act 2020, ordered all personnel of the defunct SARS to report at the Force Headquarters, Abuja for debriefing, psychological and medical examination.
The officers are expected to undergo this process as a prelude to further training and reorientation before being redeployed into mainstream policing duties.
According to the IG, “The medical examination will be carried out by the newly set-up Police Counselling and Support Unit (PCSU), a Unit, which henceforth shall engage in psychological management, re-orientation and training of officers of the Force deployed for tactical operations and other duties.
“The Unit, which is domiciled with the Force Medical Department and coordinated by the Force Medical Officer, has its membership drawn from amongst psychiatrists, psychologists, medics, pastors and imams, Public Relations practitioners, Civil Society and other Human Rights groups with relevant qualifications and expertise.”
