Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba.

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Inspector General Police IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, has approved the redeployment of some Deputy- Inspectors General DIG, Assistant- Inspectors General AIG and Commissioners of Police, including those of Lagos and Ogun States in a major shake-up of the Police top hierarchy.

This is coming less than 20 days to the general election, which begins February 25, 2023 with the presidential election, an exercise, which some analysts believe is in tandem with President Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge to Nigerian to deliver a fair, free and credible elections.

But the IGP said the shake-up was in line with his manpower development policy of placing round pegs in round holes, adding that his mandate included strategies to strengthen the operational structures of state commands.

Under the new dispensation in Lagos, CP Idowu Owohunwa replaces CP Abiodun Alabi while CP Emeka Frank Mba takes over at the Ogun State Police command. Others include CP Adebola A. Hamzat; who takes over at Adamawa State command, while CP Suleiman A. Yusuf resumes at Taraba State command even as CP Faleye E.S. Olaleye assumes duty at the Ebonyi State Police Command.

A statement signed on behalf of the IGP by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said that DIG Danmallam Mohammed has been redeployed to the Department of Finance and Administration, adding that the redeployment takes effect immediately.

The statement reads in part: “The following Assistant Inspectors-General of Police have been posted to take up the duties and responsibilities of the Deputy Inspectors-General of Police in charge of the following Departments of the Force as indicated against their names.

“To DIG Department of Training and Development – AIG Hafiz M. Inuwa; to DIG Department of Research and Planning – AIG Aji A. Janga; to DIG Department of Operations – AIG Adeleke A. Bode.

“AIG Habu Sani Ahmadu has been posted as Force Secretary while AIG Shuaya’u Lafia Abdulyari assumes office as the AIG in charge of the Force Intelligence Bureau, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

“Similarly, the following Senior Police Officers have been posted to also take up the duties and responsibilities of the Assistant Inspectors-General of Police in charge of Zonal Police Commands as indicated against their names:

“AIG, Police Mobile Force – CP Matthew Akinyosola; AIG, Zone 6 Calabar – CP Jonathan Towuru; AIG, Zone 2 Lagos – CP Sylvester A. Alabi; AIG, Zone 11 Osogbo – CP Akande Sikiru Kayode; and AIG, Zone 17 Akure – CP Abimbola Adebola Shokoya.

“In line with the IGP’s mandate and strategies to strengthen the operational structures of state commands, the Police Boss has equally ordered the provisional posting of the following Commissioners of Police to Commands indicated below pending the approval of the Police Service Commission;

“CP Adamawa State – CP Adebola A. Hamzat; CP Ogun State – CP Emeka Frank Mba; CP Taraba State – CP Suleiman A. Yusuf; CP Lagos State – CP Idowu Owohunwa; CP Ebonyi State – CP Faleye E.S. Olaleye.”

The IGP urged members of the public to support and cooperate the newly re-deployed officers to enble then perform optimally on their new mandate.

While congratulating the senior officers, he charged them to hit the ground running to ensure the mission, vision, and policy statements of the current administration of the Force are effectively complied with, especially in the areas of crime-fighting, public cooperation, and safety, among others.