The Police have set up a specialized Violent Crime Response Unit to tackle kidnapping, armed robbery, violent attacks and other serious crimes in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja and the satellite towns.

The FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, at the inauguration of the squad, said the unit was established on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to strengthen operational effectiveness and enhance public safety.

Ahmed Sanusi charged personnel of the new unit to carry out their responsibilities professionally and justify the confidence reposed in them by residents of the Federal Capital Territory.

The police commissioner also warned against misconduct, stressing that any officer found engaging in unprofessional conduct would face disciplinary action.

With similar Violent Crime Response Units expected to be established across the 36 states of the federation, officers were urged to maintain the highest standards of professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

Stakeholders pledged their support for the initiative, expressing confidence that the intelligence-driven unit would effectively deliver on its mandate of combating violent crime.

The launch of the Violent Crime Response Unit in the FCT comes about four weeks after Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, announced major reforms within the Nigeria Police Force.

The new unit replaces the Special Weapons and Tactics Team, popularly known as SWAT, and is structured into various operational sectors to improve response to security threats.