The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has disbanded the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Nigeria Police Force and ordered the transfer of 88 officers previously attached to the IGP Monitoring Unit. These personnel, including those who worked under former unit head Commissioner Akin Fakorede, have been redeployed as part of a restructuring initiative. The SIU's functions will now be absorbed by a reconstituted IGP Monitoring Unit, to be led by Aliyu Abubakar. Fakorede, a former commander of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), was removed as head of the IGP Monitoring Unit on March 8, 2026, and placed on mandatory leave on March 13, 2026, ahead of a planned reassignment as Commissioner in charge of Research. His tenure was marked by controversy, including allegations of human rights violations, bias in a land dispute at River Park Estate in Abuja, and the reported assault of journalists during a protest in January 2026. Human rights groups had previously criticized his appointment in December 2024 due to his SARS record, while Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike publicly called him a "killer" in September 2025, citing alleged election interference and brutality. Abubakar officially assumed leadership of the unit in March 2026 with a mandate to enforce accountability and professionalism. The restructuring follows sustained scrutiny of the unit's conduct under Fakorede's leadership.
IGP Disu dismantled a unit led by a controversial figure yet retained its core personnel until now, raising questions about how long it took to act on widely reported misconduct. Fakorede's prolonged assignment despite public allegations from ministers and civil society suggests delayed accountability at the top. Officers transferred from the unit were embedded in its operations during periods of alleged abuse, yet no review of their individual roles has been disclosed. Nigerians named in the River Park Estate dispute and affected journalists may now question whether internal transfers equate to justice.
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