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Following the 25kg cocaine deal allegation brought against embattled DCP Abba Kyari, the Inspector-General of Police IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the closure of all satellite units of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and Special Tactical Squad (STS) across the country.
Kyari, before his suspension, was head of the IRT of the Nigeria Police Force. The supercop and members of his team were declared wanted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA over alleged drug dealings.
A police source said all serving officers in the satellite units have been asked to report to the Force Headquarters, Abuja for debriefing.
According to the source, “authorities have directed that serving officers and men in the unit will be demobilized and posted to commands across the country.”
Meanwhile, the Force management also directed that the IRT/STS Headquarters in Abuja should be fortified and organized for enhanced operational performance to combat emerging trends.
In July 2020, the then-IGP Mohammed Adamu had directed the disbandment of the satellite offices and bases of the IRT and STS, leaving the headquarters of the units under the State Investigation Bureau as a response to the public outcry on human rights infringement by some officers of these units.
Civil society organizations had also commended the disbandment, stressing that most of the alleged atrocities that have dented the image of the Police were carried out at the satellite bases, where the operatives acted with impunity.
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