EndSARs Campaigners Win Again As IGP Orders Psychological Test For Personnel

– New SWAT Unit To Commence Training

EndSARs protesters demanding psychological examination of police personnel deployed for duties have been rewarded as the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Muhammed Adamu, ordered all defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to report at the Force Headquarters for psychological and medical examination.

The Force Public Relation Officer, Frank Mba, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

In the statement, the defunct unit is to report for debriefing and also expected to undergo psychological examinations as prelude to further training and reorientation before being redeployed into mainstream policing duties.

The IGP said that the directive was in accordance with Section 18 (10) of the Police Act 2020.

Consequently, the force said it has created a Police Counselling and Support Unit (PCSU), which would henceforth engage in “psychological management, re-orientation and training of officers deployed for tactical operations and other duties”.

The Unit is domiciled with the Force Medical Department and coordinated by the Force Medical Officer, has its membership is drawn from amongst psychiatrists, psychologists, medics, religious leaders, PR practitioners, Civil Society and other Human Rights groups with relevant qualifications and expertise.

Also, the statement revealed that a new Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team have been set-up by the IGP to fill the gaps arising from the dissolution of the defunct SARS.

“Prospective members of this new team will also undergo psychological and medical examination to ascertain their fitness and eligibility for the new assignment.

“They are to commence training at the different Police tactical training institutions nationwide, next week.

“While personnel from the Police Commands in the South-East and the South-South will be trained at the Counter-Terrorism College, Nonwa-Tai, Rivers State.

“Those from the Police Commands from the North and the South-West will be trained at the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ende, Nasarawa State and the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, respectively.”

The IGP, who reiterated his commitment to the holistic implementation of Police Reform, enjoined members of the public, particularly protesting citizens to “exercise restraint and allow measures being put in place to come to fruition and engender a Police Force that would meet the yearnings and aspirations of the citizenry”.