The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba,has ordered the immediate and strategic restructuring and change in name of the Force Animal Branch (FAB).
According to Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO),CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, “This directive equally births, as separate sub-entities, three units that were previously subsumed under FAB, the K-9, the Mounted Troops, and the Veterinary Units which will now function independently and complement each other.
“The K-9 unit and the Mounted Troops will now be headed by a Commissioner of Police each while the Veterinary Unit will be headed by the most senior Veterinary Doctor in the Force per time. The three Units will be domiciled in the Department of Operations, Force Headquarters Abuja.
“This reorganization is necessary for improved functionality and exhibition if high levels of capability and capacity. The K-9 and Mounted Troops as operational units would greatly improve crowd control, intelligence gathering, surveillance and search duties, detection of illegal substances and explosives, non-vehicular patrols, amongst others.
“The Inspector-General of Police emphasized that some funding supports have been secured for the purchase of more dogs and horses, as well as medical items for the new Units. He further reiterated that the reorganization would ensure specialization and competency, and bring about improved preventive and community-oriented policing in line with his administration’s policing agenda.
“The IGP, while reaffirming the inclusion and sustainability of both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to improve policing system in Nigeria, ordered for immediate and constant training and retraining exercises for officers and men of the Force especially those attached to the specialized units of the Force to boost service delivery”.
