IGP Idris Urges FG To Review Armament Policy For MOPOL, CTU

IGP-Ibrahim IdrisThe Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris, has called for a review of the armament policies of the Police Mobile Force (PMF), and Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), to enable it meet the contemporary security challenges in the country.

The IGP made the call yesterday at a meeting with commanders of PMF, CTU and Special Protection Unit, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

According to Idris, the review became necessary in view of the activities of the Boko Haram terrorists, kidnapping, militancy, cattle rustling and other violent crimes bedeviling the nation.

He stressed that reviewing the armament policies would enable men of the PMF and CTU, carry weapons like General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), Anti-Tank (AT) and other medium range armament to meet global standard and place them above the normal conventional police unit and below the reach of the military.

The police IG also said with these calibre of weapons, men of the PMF and CTU would be able to provide the necessary security for the citizens and tackle the enemies of the state such as “the terrorists operating with GPMG, IEDs and Anti-Tank weapons”.

“Taking the above scenario into consideration, the Nigeria Police may seek to consider Section 26, of the police regulations to see to the review of armament policies of the Police Mobile Force and Counter Terrorism Unit, in line with police regulations of 1968”, Mr. Idris said.

He noted that the force has concluded arrangement to withdraw all mobile police personnel working as body guards to highly placed persons and replace them with men of the CTU, who, he said, are currently undergoing re-organisation and restructuring.

“These units will, henceforth, be structured in accordance with their responsibilities.

“Therefore, in line with these responsibilities, it will be against force policy to deploy MPF personnel to guard individuals or fragment their personnel into smaller units, as such is the case presently”, he asserted.