The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has secured an offer of specialised international training for up to 5,000 Nigeria Police Force personnel from the United States and Italy as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s capacity to combat terrorism and other security threats.
The proposed training, expected to focus on counter-insurgency operations and policing in difficult rural and forested terrains, followed Disu’s working visit to Italy, where he engaged Italian law enforcement authorities on security cooperation, technology transfer and institutional development.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, the initiative is designed to enhance the operational capabilities of the police in tackling terrorism, kidnapping, arms trafficking and other criminal activities through intelligence-led policing and improved tactical skills.
The training programme is expected to cover tactical operations, intelligence-led patrols, protection of critical infrastructure, digital and scientific forensics, cybercrime, explosives detection, financial investigations, asset tracing and anti-extortion techniques.
It will also extend beyond the Police Mobile Force to specialised units, including Explosive Ordnance Disposal and forensic teams.
During the visit, the IGP met with the Commander General of the Italian Carabinieri, Lieutenant-General Salvatore Luongo, to explore opportunities for technical assistance, specialised training and institutional cooperation.
Disu and his delegation also visited the Carabinieri Centre of Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU) in Vicenza, where they assessed training facilities and explored opportunities to adapt specialised programmes to Nigeria’s security realities.
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 delegation further sought Italian support for developing a national stability policing doctrine and standard operating procedures aimed at strengthening professionalism, operational consistency and civilian protection, particularly in communities recovering from conflict.
Other areas of proposed cooperation include canine operations, forensic science and mounted policing, with discussions covering horse breeding and local capacity development for public order management.
To provide an institutional framework for the proposed initiatives, Disu proposed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding covering training, technology transfer and operational doctrine.
He also invited a Carabinieri assessment team to Abuja to identify priority areas and develop practical strategies for implementing the proposals.
The IGP reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to international partnerships that would strengthen operational readiness, improve investigative capacity and enhance the protection of lives and property.
The Force said it would sustain engagements with relevant international partners to advance the proposals in line with Nigeria’s security priorities and the drive towards building a more professional, capable and responsive police institution.
