IGP Disu Secures US, Italy Partnership for Specialised Training of 5,000 Police Officers
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has advanced efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security through a proposed trilateral partnership involving Nigeria, the United States and Italy, targeting specialised training for up to 5,000 police personnel.
The initiative is aimed at enhancing the operational capacity of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), particularly in counter-insurgency, intelligence-led policing, kidnapping prevention, forensic investigations and responses to emerging security threats.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, following the IGP’s working visit to Italy, where he engaged senior Italian law enforcement officials on training, technical assistance and institutional cooperation.
A major outcome of the engagements was an offer to provide specialised training for up to 5,000 Nigerian police officers, with priority given to counter-insurgency operations and security challenges in difficult rural and forested environments.
The proposed training programme will cover tactical operations, intelligence-led patrols, critical infrastructure protection, digital and scientific forensics, cybercrime investigations, explosives detection, financial investigations, asset tracing and anti-extortion strategies.
According to the statement, the initiative will extend beyond the Police Mobile Force (PMF) to other specialised units, including explosive ordnance disposal and forensic teams.
During a meeting with the Commander General of the Italian Carabinieri, Lieutenant-General Salvatore Luongo, Disu explored opportunities for technical support, specialised training and broader institutional collaboration.
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The Nigerian delegation also visited the Carabinieri Centre of Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU) in Vicenza, where it assessed training facilities and explored ways of adapting specialised programmes to Nigeria’s security requirements.
Among the proposals discussed were command courses for 40 senior police officers, leadership training for 100 junior commanders and the deployment of a mobile assistance team to support Police Mobile Force training schools in Gwoza and Ila-Orangun.
The discussions also featured plans to develop a national stability policing doctrine and standard operating procedures to improve operational consistency, professional standards and civilian protection, particularly in communities recovering from conflict.
Other areas identified for collaboration include canine operations, forensic science and mounted policing, with discussions extending to horse breeding and local capacity development for public order management and other appropriate police duties.
To formalise the proposed cooperation, the IGP called for a memorandum of understanding covering specialised training, technology transfer and operational doctrine.
He also invited a Carabinieri assessment team to Abuja to evaluate the Force’s priority requirements and develop practical implementation arrangements.
Disu reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to international partnerships that would strengthen operational readiness, improve investigative capabilities and enhance the protection of lives and property.
The Force said it would continue engaging relevant international partners to advance the proposals in line with Nigeria’s security priorities and efforts to build a more professional, capable and responsive police institution.
By PRNigeria
