Emmanuel Onani, Abuja 
Worried by reported cases of professional misconduct, occasioned by extortion, brutality and harassment, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, has banned operatives of the dreaded Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS), as well as the Special Tactical Squad (STS) from undertaking routine patrols across the country.
Other tactical squads of the Force affected by the IGP’s directive, which is with inmediate effect, included the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and Anti-Cultism Squad among others.
Apart from patrol operations, the tactical squads have also been warned against embarking on other conventional low-risk duties such as stop and search, checkpoints, mounting of roadblocks, traffic checks.
Specifically, the IGP has warned the special operatives against the “invasion of the privacy of citizens particularly through indiscriminate and unauthorized search of mobile phones, laptops and other smart devices.
The orders affect all the personnel operating at the federal, zonal and command levels.
The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), DCP Frank Mba, who conveyed the police chief’s directive in a statement, Sunday, further noted that Commissioners of Police (CPs) in charge of the 36 States Commands, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and their supervising zonal Assistant Inspectors General will be held responsible for any further acts of misconduct by the aforementioned personnel.
Contrary to what had become the norm, the operatives will now appear in police uniforms, or approved tactical gear.
This will ensure easy identification and application of possible sanctions, where there are breaches.
“In addition, no personnel of the Force is authorized to embark on patrols or tactical assignments in mufti. They must always appear in their police uniforms or approved tactical gear,” Mba said.
