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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali, has ordered the closure of all Intelligence Responses Team (IRT) offices and the Special Tactical Squad (STS) across the country.
The IGP has also ordered that the IRT and STS offices in Abuja be fortified and reorganised for a fortified enhanced operation performance to curb emerging threats.
Alkali’s order is coming a day after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency arrested the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head, Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force, Abba Kyari and four others over alleged drug dealings.
The IGP gave the order at a meeting with members of the Force management team held at Force headquarters.
All serving officers at the satellite units across the country have been directed to report to the Force headquarters in Abuja for debriefing and further instructions.
The fortification of security around the headquarters of the security outfits Day Sun, gathered May not be unconnected to the security of some high profile suspects in custody at the facility located at the old abattoir in Abuja.
It was gathered that there are fears that Force headquarters were not comfortable with the state of security of some of the suspects especially the high profile ones following the arrest of the former IRT commander who seems to have a firm grip of the office even while in suspension.
To this end the authorities have put necessary security measures in place to protect Maureen those suspected to be “die hard”, loyalist to the Kyari, are henceforth prevented from gaining access to these suspects so as not to jeopardise investigation.
A security source who does not want to me mentioned in print told Daily Sun, that before the appointment of Tunji Disu, the IRT used to be run as a cult as officers there are one hundred percent loyal to their former commander who kept assuring them that he would return as commander.
The source further stated that knowing that the outfit was run like a cult group, the authorities ought to have replaced the second in command ACP Sunday Ubuah, after it appointed a Tunji Disu, but did not.
But with the recent development, virtual all personnel serving at the outfit save a very few would have to go with the directive from the IGP.
Meanwhile, a list of new officers to be deployed to the IRT, is being complied and sent for through screening before approval.
