The Nigeria Police Force has announced the appointment of a significant number of high-ranking officers.
The new appointments include five Deputy Inspectors General of Police, 15 Commissioners of Police, 36 Deputy Commissioners of Police, and 61 Assistant Commissioners of Police.
Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechuckwu Ani, released a statement on Friday confirming the promotions.
Among those promoted, Yahaya Sahabo Abubakar, previously serving as the Assistant Inspector General in charge of Zone 14 Katsina, has been elevated to the position of Deputy Inspector General of Police.
“He will represent the North East Geopolitical Zone in the Police Management Team, replacing DIG Habu Sani, who recently retired as DIG Force Intelligence Bureau and represented the Zone.
“The Commission also approved the promotion of 122 other senior police officers: ten Commissioners of Police to the rank of Assistant Inspectors General, fifteen Deputy Commissioners of Police to substantive Commissioners, and thirty-six Assistant Commissioners of Police to Deputy Commissioners. Sixty-one Chief Superintendents of Police were also elevated to the rank of Assistant Commissioners of Police,” the statement said.
According to the statement, the decisions were made during an extraordinary management meeting of the commission held on Thursday, June 6, 2024.
The meeting was chaired by Solomon Arase, the retired Inspector General of Police and current chairman of the commission.
“The 15 Deputy Commissioners of Police, 10 Commissioners, and AIG Abubakar appeared before the Commission in session for the compulsory interactive promotion interview, which is one of the requirements for their promotion to the next rank.
“At the interactive sessions, the commission chairman told the officers that in the emerging dynamic and ubiquity of crime and criminality within the revolution in information and communication technology, ‘charting out pathways for effective policing and internal security management would have to necessarily orient from informed crafting and employment of an applicable mix of strategies, standard operating procedures, and tactics by the police, other law enforcement, and regulatory agencies of the state, mainstreaming a knowledge-driven police force staffed by a mentally mobile workforce refined for optimum service delivery,’” it said.
Arase urged the newly appointed officers to fully commit to their crucial duty of safeguarding Nigeria by effectively protecting lives and property, as well as preventing and managing criminal activities nationwide. He assured that the commission is dedicated to ensuring regular and predictable promotions for officers and personnel.
Among the promoted officers, those elevated to the rank of Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) include Ahmed Ammani, formerly CP Enugu and now in the ICT Department at Force Headquarters; Mohammed Dankwara Adamu, Deputy Commandant of the Police Academy in Wudil, Kano; Gumel Mohammed Usaini, CP of Kano State Command; Hamzat Adebola Ayinde, CP of Oyo State Command; Okuoma Idegwu Basil, CP Elections at Force Headquarters, Abuja; Achinyan Zachary’s Fera, CP FCID Enugu; Baba Zango Ibrahim, CP DFA at FCID, Abuja; Mohammed Isyaku, CP Admin at FCID Annex Lagos; and CP Margaret Agebe Ochalla, CP of the Police Special Fraud Unit Annex Lagos.
DCP Bassey Samuel Ewah, DC Admin at the Department of Operations, Force Headquarters; Osagie John Agans-Irabor, SCID Benue State Command; DCP Edem Ita Selong, Admin and Finance at Zone 9 Umuahia; and DCP Monday Agbonika, Interpol Annex Lagos, were promoted to the substantive rank of Commissioners of Police.
Other Deputy Commissioners promoted to Commissioners of Police include Michael Okoh, Department of Operations at Zone 9 Umuahia; Ayodele Oluyemi Sonubi, State CID at Oyo State Command; Iyama Daniel Edobor, Operations Department at Bayelsa State Command; Isa Danladi Nda, SWAT at FCID Abuja; Akaniyene Ifebem Ezima Zonal CID at Zone 17 Akure; and Livingston Ikioye Orutugu, Commandant PMF Training School Ende Hills Jos.
DCP Bello Rashid Afegbua, Admin at the Department of Training, Force Headquarters, Abuja; Hycenth Azuka Edozie, Force Operations at FCID, FHQ Abuja; Haruna Alaba Yahaya, Interpol at FCID Abuja; Peter Ozigi Umoru, Zonal CID at Zone 8, Lokoja; and Ayotunde Godwin Omodeinde, Operations Department at Cross Rivers State Command were also promoted.
Additionally, 36 Assistant Commissioners of Police were promoted to the rank of Deputy Commissioners. Some of them include Obo Ukam Obo, Musibau Adeola Adedoyin, Lawal Bamidele Adeshina, and Anthony Okon Placid. Others are Onyeamu Akaeme Onyeamu, AC Ops at Enugu State Command; Suleiman K. Bayonle, Commander PMF 20 in Lagos; Asuquo Effiong, Special Investigation Unit FHQ Abuja; Mustapha A. Rufai, Area Commander Auchi; Victor Akongtendor Bepeh, DFA BPF at Force Headquarters Abuja; Chinedu Ugwu, Area Commander at Oji River Enugu Command; Kingsley Ifeanyi Woke SCID Ebonyi State Command; Issah Onize Lawal, Zonal CID Zone 2 Lagos; and Ifeanyi Aham Ohuruzo, Commander PMF 21 in Abuja.
The list of promoted officers has been submitted to the Inspector General of Police for implementation and further necessary action.
