The Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, has ordered members of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to report at the Force Headquarters in Abuja for debriefing, as well as psychological and medical examination.
This is as a new tactical team codenamed Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) will commence training next week.
The developments were made known in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, on Tuesday.
The statement read, ”The Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A. Adamu, NPM, mni has, today, 13th October, 2020, 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.
”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.”
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The police spokesman said the SWAT Team will replace the defunct SARS after members who would have gone through psychological and medical evaluations to ascertain their eligibility undergo training.
”They are to commence training at the different Police tactical training institutions nationwide, next week. While 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, those from the Police Commands from the North and the South-West will be trained at the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ende, Nasarawa State and the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, respectively, ” the statement added.
Mba, on behalf of the IGP, therefore appealed to protesters to allow the new measures put in place materialise.