Niger: Police ban land cases, restrict tactical units in major internal reforms
News Niger: Police ban land cases, restrict tactical units in major internal reforms Published on April 30, 2026 By Priscilla Dennis googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1500386953281-8'); }); The Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, has issued a sweeping directive tightening operational conduct, curbing abuse of authority, and enforcing strict adherence to constitutional policing standards across the command. The directive was handed down during the command’s end-of-month strategic conference held at the Police Officers’ Mess, Minna, attended by Heads of Departments, Area Commanders, Tactical Commanders, and Divisional Police Officers. Elleman used the meeting to reinforce Inspector-General of Police directives on professionalism, discipline, human rights compliance, and zero tolerance for corruption, warning officers against incivility, abuse of office, and poor supervision of personnel. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1524595905268-5'); }); A key highlight of the directive was the outright ban on police involvement in land dispute cases. The Commissioner stressed that officers must desist from handling ownership disputes, describing them as strictly civil matters to be determined by competent courts. Elleman, however, clarified that police may only intervene where clear criminal elements such as forgery, criminal trespass, or malicious damage are established. He further warned that unlawful or prolonged detention of suspects without court authorisation will not be tolerated, reminding officers of the constitutional presumption of innocence and the need for fair and lawful investigations. The CP also announced a restriction on the proliferation of tactical teams within the command, stating that all violent crime response operations will now be consolidated under a structured unit with defined standard procedures and mandatory training to enhance professionalism and accountability. He further directed DPOs to strengthen supervision of personnel, adopt performance indicators, and ensure diligent investigation of cases to prevent wrongful arrests and weak prosecutions. Don't Miss One transaction can ruin your business – EFCC warns fintech CEOs You may like Police arrest suspected bandit informant over threats, N10m extortion in Katsina Police arrest two cattle rustlers, recover stolen cow worth N1.7m in Ogun Ekiti Govt deploys Army, Police, Amotekun against Eda Oniyo attackers Oba of Lagos tasks police, EFCC on integrity, professionalism Troops arrest suspected terrorist logistics supplier in Niger Lagos: Police parade 118 suspects over cultism, robbery, kidnapping others