By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the promotion of 122 senior officers to the ranks of Assistant Inspectors General, Commissioner of Police, Deputy Com- missioner, and Assistant Commissioner.

The commission also announced the appointment of Yahaya Abubakar as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police. The Head of Press and Public Relations of the agency, Ikechukwu Ani, who made the disclosure in a statement yesterday, said “The decisions were taken at the extraordinary Management Meeting of the Commission held on Thursday, June 6.”

The statement read thus: “The Police Service Commission has approved the appointment of AIG Yahaya Sahabo Abubakar as Deputy Inspector General of Police. “He was until his ap- pointment the AIG in charge of Zone 14 Katsina. “He will represent the North East Geopolitical zone in the Police Management Team, replacing DIG Habu Sani, who recently retired as DIG Force Intel- ligence Bureau and repre- senting the Zone.

“The Commission also approved the promotion of 122 other senior Police Officers; 10 Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors General; 15 Deputy Commission- ers of Police to substantive Commissioners and 36 Assistant Commissioners of Police to Deputy Com- missioners. “Sixty-one Chief Super- intendents of Police were also elevated to the next rank of Assistant Commis- sioners of Police.

“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. “The Commission Chairman at the interac- tive sessions told the offi- cers that in the emerging dynamic and ubiquity of crime and criminality within the revolution in Information and Communication technology, ‘chart- ing out pathways for effec- tive policing and internal security management would have to necessari- ly orient from informed crafting and employment of applicable mix of strategies, standard operating procedures and tactics by the Police, other law en- forcement and regulatory agencies of the state, main- streaming a knowledge driven Police Force staffed by mentally mobile work- force refined for optimum service delivery’. “Dr Arase charged them to be genuinely committed to their sacred responsibility of securing the Nigerian nation by effectively protecting lives and property, preventing and containing crimes and criminality across the nation. “He pledged the Com- mission’s readiness to en- sure that promotions of of- ficers and men are regular and predictable.”

It added: “The Commissioners of Police promoted to the new rank of AIGs are: Ahmed Ammani, former CP Enugu and currently in ICT Department, Force Headquarters; Mohammed Dankwara Adamu Deputy Commandant Police Acad- emy, Wudil Kano; Gumel Mohammed Usaini, CP Kano State Command; Hamzat Adebola Ayinde, CP Oyo State Command; Okuoma Idegwu Basil, CP Elections, Force Head- quarters Abuja; Achinyan Zachary’s Fera; CP FCID Enugu; Baba Zango Ibra- him, CP DFA, FCID, Abu- ja; Mohammed Isyaku, CP Admin, FCID Annex Lagos and CP Margaret Agebe Ochalla, CP Police Special Fraud Unit Annex Lagos. “DCP Bassey Samuel Ewah, DC Admin, Depart- ment of Operations, Force Headquarters; Osagie John Agans-Irabor, SCID, Benue State Command; DCP Edem Ita Selong, Admin and Finance, Zone 9 Umuahia and DCP Mon- day Agbonika, Interpol An- nex Lagos were promoted to the substantive rank of Commissioners of Police’.

“Other Deputy Commissioners promoted to CPs were Michael Okoh, Department of Operations, Zone 9 Umuahia; Ayodele Oluyemi Sonubi, State CID, Oyo State Command; Iyama Daniel Edobor, Operations Department, Bayelsa State Command; Isa Danladi Nda, SWAT, FCID Abuja; Akaniyene Ifebem Ezima Zonal CID, Zone 17 Akure and Livingston Ikioye Orutugu, Commandant PMF Training School Ende Hills Jos.

Others were, DCP Bel- lo Rashid Afegbua, Ad- min, Department of Train- ing, Force Headquarters, Abuja; Hycenth Azuka Edozie Force Operations FCID, FHQ Abuja; Haru- na Alaba Yahaya, Interpol, FCID Abuja; Peter Ozigi Umoru, Zonal CID, Zone 8, Lokoja; Ayotunde Godwin Omodeinde, Operations Department, Cross Rivers State Command. “The 36 Assistant Com- missioners of Police pro- moted to the next rank of Deputy Commissioners include; Obo Ukam Obo; Musibau Adeola Adedoyin; Lawal Bamidele Adeshina and Anthony Okon Placid.

Others are Onyeamu Akaeme Onyeamu, AC, Ops, Enugu State Com- mand; Suleiman K. Bay- onle, Commander PMF 20, Lagos; Asuquo Effiong, Special Investigation Unit FHQ, Abuja; “Mustapha A. Rufai, Area Commander Auchi; Victor Akongtendor Bepeh, DFA, BPF, Force Headquarters Abuja; Chinedu Ugwu, Area Commander, Oji River Enugu Command; Kingsley Ifeanyi Woke SCID Ebonyi State Command; Issah Onize Lawal, Zonal CID Zone 2 Lagos and Ifeanyi Aham Ohuruzo, Com- mander PMF 21 Abuja”.