The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the promotion of several senior police officers to higher ranks, as announced by Ikechukwu Ani, the PSC spokesperson, in a statement released on Friday, Okay.ng reports.
The promotions were sanctioned during the first plenary meeting of the new board of the commission. Notably, eight commissioners of police were elevated to the rank of assistant inspector-general of police (AIG), while 15 deputy commissioners of police were promoted to commissioners of police.
Additionally, 52 chief superintendents of police were advanced to the rank of assistant commissioners of police, 525 superintendents of police were promoted to chief superintendents of police, and 84 deputy superintendents were elevated to superintendents of police.
“The eight commissioners of police promoted to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors General of Police are CP Benneth Igwe, Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Command; Suleiman Mohammed Abdul, acting Assistant Inspector General of Police, PAB, Force Headquarters Abuja; CP Augustina Nwuka Ogbodo, CP Ebonyi State Command; CP Stephen Olanrewaju, CP Admin, Works, Force Headquarters Abuja; CP Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, CP Abia State Command; CP Fayoade Adegoke Mustapha, CP Lagos State Command; CP Adegboyega Funsho Adegboye, CP Admin, FID, Abuja; and CP Mohammed Bala Labbo, CP Communication DICT Force Headquarters, Abuja,” the statement detailed.
The 15 deputy commissioners of police who were elevated to the rank of commissioners of police include DCP Innocent Ifeanyi Emenari, DCP State CID Taraba State Command; DCP Betty Enekpen Otimenyin, DCP DFA, Zone 5 Benin; DCP James Iroegbunam Nwokolo, DC DFA, Edo State Command; and DCP Felix Nka Oben, DC Federal Operations, Force Headquarters Annex Lagos, among others.
Speaking on the promotions, Hashimu Argungu, the chairman of the PSC, emphasized the need for the newly promoted officers to continue seeking knowledge and be well-equipped to handle the challenges of 21st-century policing.
Argungu also highlighted the importance of being proactive in the fight against insurgency and banditry.