Olatunji Rilwan Disu, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), on Tuesday convened an emergency conference with senior leaders of the Nigeria Police Force to address national security concerns and announce new reforms within the Force.
The meeting, held on May 5, 2026, took place at the Force Headquarters Abuja and was attended by members of the Force Management Team, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, and Commissioners of Police from across the country.
According to a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Okon Placid, the conference was called to review pressing security challenges in the country, strengthen accountability within the police, and give operational directives to police commands and formations nationwide.
Speaking during the meeting, IGP Disu stressed the need for transparency, discipline, and responsible leadership within the police. He said the current security situation in the country requires a more responsive and intelligence-driven policing system.
He urged senior officers to take responsibility for their commands and ensure that policing operations are carried out professionally and in line with the law.
The police chief also addressed the recent incident in Delta State involving the extra-judicial killing of a suspect by a police officer. Disu described the act as unlawful and said it goes against the values and rules of the Nigeria Police Force. He confirmed that the officers involved have been dismissed from the Force and that the case has been sent for criminal prosecution.
The IGP emphasized that the police leadership maintains a zero-tolerance policy for misconduct and warned that no officer is above the law.
The Inspector-General also shared operational results recorded by the police in April 2026. According to him, intelligence-led operations across the country led to the arrest of: 28 suspected terrorists, 51 murder suspects, 62 armed robbery suspects, 85 kidnapping suspects, 54 suspected cultists.
He added that police operatives also rescued 189 kidnapped victims, recovered 140 firearms and 1,074 rounds of ammunition, and retrieved 37 stolen vehicles during the period.
Disu announced the creation of a new tactical unit known as the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU). He explained that the unit has been restructured to improve the police response to serious and violent crimes across the country. The VCRU will focus on intelligence-based operations and will receive specialized training while operating under strict human rights guidelines.
The IGP said Commissioners of Police will be directly responsible for supervising the unit in their various commands. Disu also directed Commissioners of Police nationwide to strengthen community policing efforts. He asked them to regularly hold town hall meetings with traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other community stakeholders.
He further instructed police commissioners to make their contact details available to community leaders in order to improve communication and build public trust.
The police chief reiterated that ongoing reforms in the Nigeria Police Force are aimed at improving professionalism, discipline, respect for human rights, and public accountability.
He also encouraged citizens to make use of complaint channels such as the Police Complaints Response Unit to report cases of police misconduct.
The Nigeria Police Force, he said, remains committed to improving its operations and ensuring the safety and rights of Nigerians.