FCT: Police dissolve tactical squads, form unified violent crime unit

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has scrapped all existing tactical squads and merged them into a single formation — the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) — as part of a broader push to sharpen operational efficiency and curb officer misconduct.

Commissioner of Police Ahmed Sanusi announced the restructuring on Thursday during an emergency security meeting with Area Commanders and Tactical Commanders at the Command Headquarters in Abuja.

Command spokesperson Josephine Adeh, in a statement on Saturday, said the VCRU would bear sole responsibility for responding to violent crimes across the FCT, replacing the fragmented tactical structure with a more coordinated rapid-response framework.

The move aligns with a directive by Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu, who in March ordered a reduction of tactical teams across all police formations nationwide. Under that directive, zonal and state commands are limited to a maximum of five tactical teams, while area commands and divisions may retain no more than three.

Sanusi used the occasion to warn officers against extortion, harassment, and other forms of misconduct, stressing that such infractions would attract strict sanctions. He directed area commanders to cascade the instructions down to divisional police officers, adding that supervisory officers would be held vicariously liable for the conduct of their subordinates.

The commander of the X-Squad was also tasked with intensifying surveillance and enforcement operations against erring personnel, with any officer found culpable facing arrest and disciplinary action.

Despite the restructuring, Sanusi acknowledged that crime rates in the FCT had remained relatively low in recent months, commending officers for their dedication while urging sustained vigilance against emerging threats.

The commissioner appealed to residents to cooperate with security agencies by sharing timely and credible intelligence, while cautioning against deliberately provoking confrontations with officers for the purpose of recording and posting content online.