Kayode Egbetokun, the acting Inspector General of Police, announced intentions to establish a Special Intervention Squad to handle the country’s security challenges.
The IGP, during a visit to Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, stressed the need for local support, sighting Kano as a prospective pilot state for this effort.
He said, “Your Excellency, I want to inform you that the present police management has decided to set up a squad called the Special Intervention Squad to intervene quickly in a crisis.
“Where there is a crisis or violent crime in Nigeria, we have a dedicated squad that can easily be deployed to take care of those challenges.”
Egbetokun stated that the need for the new squad could not be overstated, as its success would be dependent on the Kano State government’s collaboration and assistance.
The IGP further stated, “We will equip the squad with well-trained personnel and well-remunerated to meet the overwhelming security challenges.
“The special squad will be specially trained. We will specially equip them with modern working facilities. We will kit them properly and we will remunerate them specially. They will be so motivated to do their job.
“I want to appeal for the cooperation and support of Your Excellency in making a success of this arrangement.
“We have chosen Kano state as one of the pilot states. But a lot will depend on the support we get from His Excellency.
“I honestly want you to take note of that and to take this as a request coming from the Nigerian Police to Gov. Yusuf.”
In his answer, Governor Yusuf praised the current police administration’s political commitment to the country’s continuous struggle against banditry, kidnapping, and armed robbery.
Yusuf expressed gratitude for the state’s policing efforts, which had significantly reduced some of the state’s security difficulties since the current administration took office.
He stated that the Kano State government would continue to assist the police in performing at their best.
Yusuf said, “Kano state government is a very serious government in this dispensation. We came on board when there were very serious insecurity challenges in the state.
“There was the issue of thuggery, the issue of phone snatching, armed robbery, kidnapping, banditry and so on and so forth.
“When we came we ensured that we brought all the security agencies working in Kano on board, especially the Nigerian Police Force.
“We have a very good relationship between the government and the police authorities,” said the governor.
“I want to assure you that we will continue doing our best to ensure that we achieve peace in the state and deal with the insecurity issues bedevilling the state.
“Let me seize this opportunity to also ask the IG to support us in our fight against drug abuse, armed robbery, phone snatching, thuggery and so on and so forth.
“We appreciate what you have been doing, the tremendous efforts you have been making in ending kidnapping, not only in Kano but in Nigeria as a whole.”
