In a landmark development aimed at strengthening the operational and leadership framework of the Nigeria Police Force, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the promotion of several senior officers in a sweeping exercise that reaffirms its commitment to professionalism, meritocracy, and global best practices in policing.
A total of 12 Commissioners of Police have been elevated to the prestigious rank of Assistant Inspectors General (AIGs), while 16 Deputy Commissioners have been promoted to substantive Commissioners of Police. Additionally, 27 Assistant Commissioners moved up to the rank of Deputy Commissioners of Police, with one officer excluded due to absence from the promotion exercise.
The latest promotions, as announced in a statement issued Monday by PSC Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, signal a bold stride in the Commission’s reform agenda aimed at repositioning the police force to meet 21st-century security challenges.
The promotions extend to a wide spectrum of the force, with 145 Chief Superintendents of Police (CSPs) advancing to Assistant Commissioners. These include not only general duty officers but also an impressive array of specialists—spanning the Airwing, medical personnel (doctors, dentists, pharmacists, lab scientists, physiotherapists, and nurses), clergy, and engineers.
Furthermore, 29 Superintendents of Police, all experts in areas such as Information Technology, Engineering, Works, and the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), were promoted to Chief Superintendents, while 38 Deputy Superintendents (Specialists) climbed the ladder to Superintendent status.
Newly Promoted AIGs:
Notable among the newly promoted Assistant Inspectors General are:
Johnson Oluwole Adenola – CP, Oyo State
Ako Benedict Gabriel – CP, Anti-Fraud
Ahmadu Tijani Abdullahi – CP, Jigawa
Emmanuel Adegbola Aina – Acting AIG, Intelligence
Omolara Ibidun Oloruntola
Hassan Abdu Yababet – CP, Police College, Jos
Bretet Emmanuel Simon – CP, Taraba
Enyinnaya Inonachi Adiogu – CP, FCID, Gombe
Aminu Baba Raji – CP, FCID, Alagbon
Mohammed Mu’azu Usman – CP, Eastern Ports, Port Harcourt
Festus Chinedu Oko – Acting AIG, DLS Dept, Force HQ
Ronke Nurat Okunade – Special Fraud Unit, FCID Annex, Lagos
Promoted Commissioners of Police:
Among the 16 new CPs are:
Uduak Otu Ita, Sheikh Mohammed Danko, Charles Ezekwesiri Dike, Nnana Oji Ama (DC Intelligence, FCID), Gabriel Onyilo Eliagwu, and Victor Avwerosuo Erivwode (DC SEB, FCID), among others.
Promoted Deputy Commissioners of Police:
The 27 ACPs who are now DCPs include:
Shehu Idris, David Adio Alalada, Dalhatu Basher, Hamzat Tambai, Olufemi Akinwale Akinola, Sani Fudaiku Kura, and Abimbola Shafkat Abdulraheem.
Highlights from CSP to ACP Promotions:
Some of the key CSPs promoted to Assistant Commissioners include:
Zubairu Maina, Stephen Olusola Olatise, Olufikayo Abimbola Fawole, Buhari Abdullahi, Akaniyere Etuk, and Lateef Jaiyeola (CSP Admin, Force Education).
Also listed are Agbemoroti Clement Oloruntoba (former DPO, Osun), Chinedum Aniagbaso (ICT, FHQ), Mohammed Sani Idris (Commander, SPU BASE 7, Abuja), and Adeoye Benjamin Oyekunle (acting ACP X Squad, Ondo State Command).
The promotion exercise was meticulously overseen by DIG Taiwo Lakanu (rtd.), Chairman of the Commission’s Standing Committee on Police Matters, who supervised the examinations and interviews before presenting the report at the Commission’s plenary.
In his remarks, Chairman of the PSC, DIG Hashimu Argungu (rtd.), applauded the diligence and resilience of the officers who excelled in the promotion assessments. He emphasized that promotion examinations have now become an entrenched and permanent feature of the Commission’s policy to ensure merit-based advancement.
> “The era of arbitrary promotions is over. Only officers who meet the required standards will rise. Those who cannot cope with these demands will be shown the way out,” Argungu declared.
He further stated that the Commission envisions a police force that is not only competent and professional but capable of meeting global law enforcement benchmarks while safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians across all regions.
The PSC boss congratulated the newly promoted officers, urging them to redouble their commitment to national duty and rise to the increasingly complex demands of modern-day policing.
This latest round of promotions is widely viewed as a strategic move to enhance capacity within the ranks of the Nigeria Police Force, especially at a time when the country is grappling with evolving security threats and rising demands for better law enforcement accountability and effectiveness.
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