Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has directed all Commissioners of Police to immediately undertake comprehensive audit of arms and ammunition within their respective commands.
According to the IGP, “This exercise must be thorough, transparent, and properly documented, with detailed reports forwarded to the Force Headquarters within the stipulated timeframe.”
Disu said the objective is to strengthen accountability, identify existing gaps and provide an accurate assessment of the police’s operational needs.
“Let me emphasise that this is not a routine administrative task, but a critical measure to enhance our readiness, prevent misuse, and ensure that all assets entrusted to the Force are properly accounted for and optimally deployed,” Disu said.
IGP also reminded the Commissioners of Police that they carry enormous responsibility as the officers under their command look to them for direction, communities look to them for protection while he (IGP) looks to them for results.
“Lead with integrity, lead with discipline, and lead with the people – and this Force will be transformed” he charged the State Commissioners of Police at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
The IGP emphasised that the police cannot secure the country alone, noting that security is a collective enterprise.
He added, “We need the trust, the cooperation, and the active partnership of the Nigerian people – and we are committed to earning it.
“I am therefore directing every Commissioner of Police to hold regular town hall engagements across their State Commands. These are not ceremonial events. Commissioners must sit with traditional rulers, religious leaders, market associations, youth organisations, women’s groups, and transport unions – listening, sharing information, and building genuine partnerships.
“I am also taking a step that I believe will send a strong signal of openness and accessibility: I am directing all Commissioners of Police to make their contact details available to community leaders within their States. When a community leader needs to reach their Commissioner of Police, that line must be open. That is what community policing looks like in practice.”
He further stated, “We have undertaken a comprehensive retraining and strategic repositioning of our personnel, with particular emphasis on human rights standards, lawful use of force, and professional conduct. This is ongoing work, and it will not stop.
“The Police Complaints Response Unit – the CRU – remains fully operational, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Any citizen with a legitimate complaint about police conduct has a direct and accessible channel. Contact details will be made available at the close of this conference. I encourage all Nigerians to use this channel, and I encourage members of the press to publicize it widely.
“I also wish to address the circulation on social media of videos depicting police misconduct. Some of these incidents occurred years ago, and the officers involved were sanctioned at the time. But I understand that perception matters. We are working – actively and with urgency – to rebuild and sustain public trust. I ask Nigerians to judge us by our actions going forward.”
