The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has approved the deployment of Deputy Inspectors-General of Police to the country’s six geopolitical zones in a move aimed at strengthening security coordination and improving operational effectiveness nationwide.
The deployment, which takes effect from June 15, 2026, was announced during the monthly conference with strategic senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, the initiative is designed to bring strategic leadership closer to the field and ensure faster responses to emerging security threats.
The police spokesman said the deployment would enhance supervision, strengthen accountability and improve operational oversight across commands.
He noted that the DIGs would work closely with Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police to ensure effective implementation of policing directives and improve security outcomes across the country.
In a related development, the IGP directed all Commissioners of Police nationwide to immediately establish coordinated inter-state security operations codenamed “Handshake Patrols” with neighbouring state commands.
The initiative, according to the police leadership, is aimed at deepening intelligence sharing, improving operational communication and facilitating joint responses to crimes that transcend state boundaries.
Disu expressed concern that criminal elements often exploit jurisdictional loopholes by committing offences in one state and fleeing to another to evade arrest.
He consequently charged police commissioners to maintain constant engagement with neighbouring commands, conduct coordinated patrols along major entry and exit routes and adopt a regional strategy in tackling security threats.
The IGP said the new measures formed part of the Force’s broader commitment to intelligence-led policing, strategic coordination and inter-agency collaboration.
He reaffirmed the determination of the Nigeria Police Force to protect lives and property while enhancing public safety across the country.
