The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris, has set up a special squad to deal with the southern Kaduna killings fuelled by fighting between Fulani herdsmen and villagers, which has lead to the killing of scores of people in the last few months.
Tagged the Joint Tactical Operation Squad, it comprises the Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit, Special Anti Robbery Squad, Intelligence Response Team, the IGP Monitoring Unit, Police K9 (Sniffer Dog Section), Police Air Wing and Police Medical Team and would be headquartered in Kafanchan.
Speaking at the flag off of the squad on behalf of the IGP, Habila Joshak, DIG in charge of Operations, said that the move was to ensure that peace and normalcy is restored to Kafanchan and environs.
He said that the squad would be proactive and work with local people to get actionable intelligence that would help in nipping any planned violence in the bud.
“The Squad will be proactive, work on actionable intelligence and carry out massive deployment and twenty four hours surveillance and patrol, continuous raids of identified criminal hideouts, with a view to arrest promptly trouble makers and their sponsors and nip in the bud violent acts and other criminalities in the general area,” the Police chief stated.
He said that the squad would cover the whole of southern Kaduna but would be particularly deployed to “all the communities, towns, villages, vulnerable points, government and private infrastructures and facilities in the area.”
The IGP also stated that helicopters would be used on guided missions and aerial surveillance and would provide intelligence to ground police troops.
He called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, public office holders, politicians, opinion leaders, parents and guardians “to prevail on their subjects, supporters, children and wards to support the police personnel in the discharge of their responsibilities, propagate peace, demonstrate love, forgiveness and tolerance to promote harmonious coexistence with their brothers and fellow citizens, irrespective of religious, ethnic or political inclinations and differences.”
The IGP also assured residents of the area of good people and adequate security and protection of their lives and properties