The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced the promotion of 74,352 officers across various ranks nationwide since January 2025. The Force dismissed claims of irregularities in the exercise.
A summary released by the Force Public Relations Department showed that the promotions covered both senior and junior cadres, ranging from Assistant Inspector-General of Police to Corporal.
According to the breakdown, 45 Commissioners of Police were promoted to Assistant Inspector-General of Police, while 69 Deputy Commissioners advanced to Commissioners of Police. Additionally, 156 Assistant Commissioners were elevated to Deputy Commissioners, 270 Chief Superintendents to Assistant Commissioners, and 1,014 Superintendents to Chief Superintendents.
The NPF emphasized that the exercise reflects its commitment to merit-based progression and recognition of officers’ service across the country.
Further promotions saw 615 Deputy Superintendents rise to Superintendents of Police, 980 Assistant Superintendents of Police I move up to Deputy Superintendents, and 30,828 Inspectors promoted to Assistant Superintendents of Police I.
At the junior cadre level, 16,970 Sergeants were promoted to Inspectors, 8,840 Corporals advanced to Sergeants, while 58 Police Constables were elevated to the rank of Corporal.
“We will not be swayed by those who trade in falsehood or seek to undermine the integrity of our institution. There is no promotion scandal in the Nigerian police force. What we have is a system that rewards diligence, professionalism, and proven capacity, IGP Kayode Egbetokun said.
The Force maintained that the promotions were conducted in line with established procedures and standards, reaffirming its commitment to merit, transparency, and career progression within the Nigeria Police Force.
In a country where encounters with the police often spark anxiety instead of assurance, it’s easy to adopt a hardened belief: Can anything good come out of the Nigeria Police? Much like the ancient scepticism about Nazareth, this doubt has evolved into a common national sentiment, one born of lived experiences, horror stories, and long-standing distrust.
But what if, amid this scepticism, a new kind of story emerges: one of kindness, professionalism, and grace under uniform? A tale not driven by coercion or corruption, but by compassion. Such was the moment shared recently on X by @Akinskickers, reminding us that good things can indeed come from “Jerusalem.”
The story begins in the early hours of the morning, with a young man and his mother stranded on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. He was driving her to the airport when his car unexpectedly broke down. Desperate not to miss her flight and with time slipping away, he managed to flag down a passing towing van, which was kind enough to move their car to a safer location and even called a mechanic to help diagnose the problem.
But as the sun rose, so did his anxiety. They were stuck in the middle of nowhere. His mother’s flight hung in the balance. Worse still, he had no cash on hand to pay the mechanic. In that moment, fear crept in not just from the isolation or the ticking clock, but from the helplessness of being stranded with his mother without a clear way out.
Then, something unexpected happened. An angel arrived, but not with wings. This one wore a police uniform and answered to the name Yusuf. Without hesitation or suspicion, Officer Yusuf stepped in and covered the initial cost of the mechanic’s repairs. The mechanic had left to obtain necessary supplies for the vehicle’s repair and was taking up so much time that the officer found someone to take the woman to the airport at no extra cost. He refused reimbursement, insisting it was nothing. Yet his kindness didn’t stop there. He followed up later that day, not out of obligation but out of genuine concern, wanting to know if the young man’s mother had made her flight safely.
In a similar situation in January 2025, a team of Police Officers, while on patrol, encountered a stranded citizen whose vehicle had run out of fuel at the Cement Bus Stop, Lagos–Abeokuta Highway, at about 4 AM. The patrol team assisted her with 5 litres of fuel, which would be sufficient for her to get to the nearest filling station before continuing their patrol.
These encounters are not rare; they are just not always noticed. The Policing system, although designed to be fair, its complexity has led to inequities in how its officers are viewed. These officers stood out like a light in a dim tunnel. They embodied what policing should be: service and protection. Just as four officers on patrol duty on the Yola-Jalingo Road in Taraba State, who flagged down a vehicle as part of their duties and identified that its occupants were criminals who chose to buy their freedom from the officers by offering them a bribe amounting to 8.5 million naira. However, the officers chose to reject the bribe and arrested the suspects instead. Both the suspects and the bundles of cash were taken to the police station to face legal consequences.
In those moments, these officers challenged everything many believe about the Nigeria Police. They gave a face to honour in uniform and reminded us that institutions, no matter how broken, are still made up of many individuals who can choose differently.
This narrative, like a drop in an ocean, carries weight. It tells us that humanity still exists in unlikely places and that perhaps we need to look for it more often, amplify it, and celebrate louder when we find it.
Not too long ago, in January 2021, DSP Faith Okwuego Ejoh, a Policewoman serving in Delta State, made the decision to put compassion before duty alone. She had discovered a young girl who would have missed her final examinations because she was unable to pay for her school fees. DSP Ejoh was moved by her cries and decided not only to cover the girl’s tuition, but also the tuition for 18 other students who faced the same issues, giving them all a chance at a better future.
She reminded us all, without cameras or cheers, that the uniform she wore was about service to humanity, not simply law enforcement. Her unspoken generosity spoke loudly in a society that is too quick to pass judgment. She not only paid for dreams, but also protected them.
Another Officer, SP Obi Sentome, is a shining example of what integrity in policing looks like. As the head of the Zone 16 Financial and Cybercrime Unit, he has consistently upheld the core values of professionalism, accountability, and ethical conduct. In an environment where officers are often faced with pressure, compromise, or temptation, SP Obi has built a reputation for being uncompromising in the face of corruption, with his conduct reflecting a deep personal commitment to justice and aligning with the Nigeria Police Force’s broader mission to rebuild public trust through transparency and principled service.
He had led his team on an operation in December 2024, in Rivers State, where three suspects involved in ritual killings, drug trafficking, and cyber fraud were arrested. In the course of the investigation, the suspects attempted to bribe SP Obi with $17,000 in cash. He flatly rejected the offer, registered the money as evidence, and ensured it would be presented in court. These exemplary actions bagged him the Integrity Award and the award for the Police Officer of the Year at the recently held Police Awards & Recommendations Night
• Prince Adejobi, a Public Relations Practitioner and Conflict Manager, wrote from Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Armed policemen escorting actress raise questions again on the elite force
Another image scandal lately hit the Nigeria Police, with a visual clip that went viral online showing actress Angela Okorie being escorted by armed police officers while she was jogging. In the video, the actress was depicted in a public area running along the street and trailed by officers bearing arms, apparently to provide her protection.
The video ignited a controversy in the public space as to the propriety of armed officers being preoccupied with watching over private individuals – and flaunting arms in public to do so – amidst pervasive security challenges that hobble the citizenry and hazard public safety.
Okorie has not publicly commented on the controversy, but the visual clip in question is suspected to be from behind-the-scenes shoot for ‘Queen of Guns,’ a project the actress began promoting in recent weeks.
Whatever the clip was about, the police establishment did not find it funny and has launched an investigation to unravel the circumstance and possible liability for the display.
In a statement last week on its official X handle and signed by force spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), the force described the officers’ conduct as falling short of the discipline and decorum expected of police personnel.
“The Nigeria Police Force strongly frowns on the conduct of armed police officers seen in a viral video trailing actress Angela Okorie while she jogged – an act considered clearly inconsistent with the professional standards and decorum expected of personnel of the force,” it said.
Adejobi further stated that whereas the video appeared to have been shot on or near a movie set, it had elicited public concern and criticism. “While it remains unclear whether the scene was part of a scripted production, the conduct of the officers seen in the video falls short of the standards expected of members of the Nigeria Police Force,” he asserted, adding: “Accordingly, necessary administrative processes have been initiated to identify the officers involved and determine the circumstances surrounding the video, while appropriate disciplinary action will be taken based on the outcome of the review.”
The latest incident renews the debate about the propriety of police elite protection services amidst high level of insecurity this country presently faces. Statutorily, only top-level public officers like the president, vice-president, governors and deputy governors, council chairmen, principal legislative officers at the federal level and in the states as well as judges and magistrates are entitled to police protection.
But the privilege has over the years been accorded all manner of private individuals, raising the question as to how many are left of the police’s less than 375,000 workforce to provide protection for the estimated 200 million Nigerian population. This is against the backdrop of projections by the United Nations that the police force of any country should have no fewer than three personnel for every 1,000 citizens.
Recently, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun was reported to have freshly reinvigorated the police Special Protection Unit (SPU). Speaking at the passing out of participants from Special Protection Unit Base 23 Minna, Niger State, in early May, unit commander Hassan Sani, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), said IGP Egbetokun newly established the unit to meet increasing demand for elite protective services in the country.
The SPU is, however, by no means a new feature of the Nigeria Police. The unit established to provide dedicated security for high-risked persons like political officers, diplomats and expatriates working on sensitive government projects in Nigeria, is a creation of the 2009 Police Reform Agenda of government, although it didn’t commence full operations until 2011.
At the opening of the SPU Base 25 complex in Asaba, Delta State, in September 2019, then IGP Mohammed Adamu said the SPU was set up to “fortify security around VIPs and diplomats who, by all ramifications, must be protected and guarded against any unforeseen attacks.”
But even that stated objective has been abused over the years. We’ve had the case of a lady professor who in 2022 was accused of battering her police orderly for declining to do menial household chores meant for personal domestic staff.
There was early this year the case of a police personnel who held bales of crisp naira notes for the children of a Lagos billionaire who were cited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for abusing the local currency in a promotional musical video. And there are many other instances.
Meanwhile, the police have always claimed being short-staffed, warranting former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018 to give approval for recruitment of 60,000 constables over a six-year period at 10,000 recruits yearly. If the police must keep up with elite protection in the dimension we see, they’ll need to up their game with recruitments, so there will be hands left for the generality.
Police operatives attached to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command have arrested a personnel of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) with assorted firearms and ammunition.
The suspect, whose identity is yet to be revealed, was apprehended around the Zuma area of the state Monday afternoon.
It was gathered that the officer who has not been able to give reasonable account of how he got the weapons and where he was taken them to, was suspected of possible arms deal with criminals.
According to sources, his arrest followed an intelligence report from informants about a missing person.
It was learnt that the weapons recovered from him included rifles and pistols.
“We recovered four AK-47 magazines; four magazines of CZ Scorpion rifle; two CZ Scorpion rifles, 139mm ammunition and two Diakon and CZ pistols,” said a source.
FCT Commissioner of Police (CP) Olatunji Disu confirmed the arrest of the suspect to our Correspondent.
He said the suspect was being interrogated, adding that further details would be provided later.
“They have just brought the suspect before me and he is being questioned. That’s all I can confirm at the moment,” he said.
Yenagoa-based Jonah Okah writes on the exploits of the police special squad code-named Puff Adder, which has seen it restore normalcy and peace in Bayelsa, a state hitherto held by the jugular by men of the underworld. He also makes a case for appropriate rewards and promotion for gallant officers in general police.
The Nigeria Police Force, NPF, has suffered image crisis over the years on allegations of corruption and incompetence. Notably, the issue of corruption is generally an endemic problem pervading all sectors and institutions in Nigeria. It touches the judiciary, the civil service, the military, even the banking sector. Therefore, it is misplaced to selectively isolate the police.
In spite of the corruption allegations, the fact remains that there are still many good elements across all sectors.
However, no objective and dispassionate mind will hesitate to dismiss the allegation of incompetence as a warped view from puerile and malicious perspectives. The Nigeria Police Force have proven its competence and excellence in service both in local and international peace and security operations and have earned Nigeria a pride of place in the comity of nations.
Most times, one feels pity for the country’s Police for the thankless service it renders in the fight against crime, ranging from the task of contending with men of the underworld, to that of strong men in power over corruption, economic sabotage and sundry crimes.
Interestingly, no one bothers about the challenges of poor motivation, poor reward system, poor equipment and the poverty of financial security after retirement from service. Still, the police continue to receive unnecessary bashing of unwarranted accusations.
In Bayelsa State, there is no doubting the fact that until recently, the state was a hot bed of epic battles waged by men of the underworld. Like the Hobbesian state, it was a place where lives became short and brutish, with increasing wave of cult-related killings, piracy and pipelines vandalisation alongside activities of kidnappers becoming the order of the day.
In response to the wild state of insecurity, the Bayelsa State Police Command set up a special squad nicknamed PUFF ADDER, to confront headlong the activities of the dare-devil criminals in the nooks and crannies of the Bayelsa landscape, with a no-nonsense operational officer, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Chris Nwaogbo.
The mandate of CSP Chris Nwaogbo-led operation team was specifically to restore peace and security in conjunction with other operation commands, backed by the motivational-spirit conscious Police Commissioner, Mr. Francis Itu of the Bayelsa State Command.
This also came on the heels of daily reports of bank robberies in Yenagoa, the state capital, one of which claimed the life of a legal practitioner, Mr. Abel Uzi, who was gunned down and the money found on him taken away in broad day light.The Chris Nwaogbo-led Puff Adder special squad swung into action like the baptism of fire, conducted discreet investigations, arrested the suspects and brought them to book. To say the least, it was a result-oriented operation that elevated the Bayelsa Police Command, and earned them thumbs-up from residents of Yenagoa.
Today, banks are enjoying absolute peace and security in the state, because the police have put in place strategic measures to forestall further occurrences.
The Puff Adder special squad is the most dreaded security intervention squad in the state. The fear of squad is widely believed to be the beginning of wisdom. Literally, the squad can be compared to Panti in Lagos, where positive results in the fight against crime are routinely recorded.
With the crack team of investigators, those who have the privilege to know the high risk the CSP Nwaogbo-led team takes, often wonder how they have gone about achieving the relative peace and security in the state.
Of course, the fight against criminals is not a tea party. While citizens are enjoying the comfort of their homes, these great men and women of courage who have signed the contract to provide security are busy sacrificing their energy, comfort and putting their lives on the line by going to criminal hideouts in the creeks, the sea and on land.
Without doubt, many temptations come their way in terms of mouthwatering offer of bribes by suspects and their godfathers, among whom are politicians, to scuttle justice; which is no mean task.
Recounting how they resisted one of such bribe offers, CSP Chris Nwaogbo threatened to arrest a high profile politician who attempted to bribe him with N50 million to circumvent the course of justice in the case of a suspect under investigation for kidnapping. The team had successfully rescued the victim and was pushing for the kidnapper to face the full weight of the law.
So, when people make hasty generalisation of corruption against the police, it kills the morale of good and decent officers with conscience, who are dutifully discharging their duties.
The Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Francis Itu, is not left out. In the course of his duty, he has, on several occasions, resisted bribe offers, one of which was about N500 million. This was an exciting moment in his career and service to the nation.
This, understandably, is why CSP Nwaogbo expressed his anger and frustration at what he described as frivolous petitions against him recently by the Baylesa State branch of the Nigeria Bar Association, when he said: “My brother, in case you don’t know, Puff Adder stopped the kidnapping of bank managers and business men in this town called Yenagoa. Since after the arrest of a popular kidnapper (name withheld) and his gang, have you heard of kidnapping again in Bayelsa? The NBA has not told anyone her problems if there is any please. I’m even tired of risking my life in the creeks of Bayelsa State. How many police officers have you heard in Nigeria that goes to the creeks to rescue victims of kidnapping or you think it is an easy task? Yet the NBA will not give me fair hearing and just jumped into conclusion, writing frivolous petitions. When you lose my kind of officer, you will understand what insecurity is all about,” he said.
CSP Chris Nwaogbo further stated that, “Puff Adder will continue to operate within the ambit of the law and will not succumb to any form of blackmail by a few politically exposed members of the NBA who are out to blackmail Puff Adder in a bid to cover up their failed agenda to undercut the cause of justice. When Puff Adder arrested the armed robbers that killed their colleague called Abel Uzi, and he was charged to court and freed by the court under questionable circumstances, the NBA, Yenagoa Branch, lost its critical and pretentious voice. In other states, the NBA is a partner in progress in the fight against crime”.
Against all odds, Operation Puff Adder has busted over 50 cases of kidnapping and high profile cases of armed robbery and brought them to book. Among these are those of the kidnappers of 115-year-old Chief Titus Isu, the kidnap of Emmanuel Ogodo and Osazuwa Micheal, Staff of Azikiel Company. Others include those of Vivian Obinna Okoye, Dr. Ogregede Ileimokumo, Chief Pichard Seiba, the Paramount ruler of Okordia clan.
With the full assistance of the security conscious governor of the state, Senator Douye Diri, the Chris Nwaogbo-led Puff Adder squad in conjunction with CP Francis Itu, Bayelsa has become the most peaceful and secured state in the Niger Delta and (arguably) in the southern part of Nigeria generally.
It is against this background that a former Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa, CP Hilary Opara, recommended him and other officers for special promotion.
Even ardent critics of the police in Bayelsa have lavishly conceded that Puff Adder is the best thing to have happened to the state in the fight against crime since its creation.
They have proved against the naysayers that the police are a friend indeed, contrary to the misconceptions by some segments of the society.
Therefore, the police deserve the support and understanding of the general public, as the business of security is a collective responsibility of all.
We must appreciate those who sacrifice their comfort for the peace and security of all in the midst of poor reward system.
This is where the Inspector General of police, IGP, needs to reinvent a new reward system by identifying officers like those at Puff Adder and other intervention operations for special recognition and promotion.
The Force Headquarters and the Police Service Commission need to reject the worn-out saying that police reward is in heaven. Police officers are humans and deserve the best of motivation and reward while on earth. They have families and responsibilities; so no amount of reward is too much for their priceless sacrifices for the general good of the citizens.
The federal and state governments should take cognizance of the fact that there is an inseparable nexus between security and sustainable development. This is where they should go beyond the golden handshake and precepts by identifying fine officers like Chris Nwaogbo who leads Puff Adder under the committed leadership of CP Francis Itu and consider them for life-changing reward both by the Force Command and the State government.
On the part of officers of Puff Adder, they should not let up the fine spirit in them despite the daunting challenges and the distractions by arm-twisting critics. History will certainly vindicate their historic exploits in the fight against crime, as their rewards will certainly come in the fullness of time.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, in collaboration with Rivers State Command, has rescued a kidnapped 4-year-old boy, Hope Evans, in Abuja following two weeks of intensive investigation and manhunt.
During the rescue operation, it was discovered that the child’s name had been changed from Hope Evans to David Evans to conceal his identity.
FCT Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, who personally led the operation, revealed on Sunday that the suspect, Blessing Okoi, had abducted the boy on 31 October 2024.
It was gathered that Okoi had gone to the Model Community Nursery and Primary School, Azubie, Port Harcourt, where the child was schooling, and lured him away.
When the boy’s mother, Lydia Jonah Gabriel arrived to pick him up after school, officials informed her that an unknown woman, later identified as Blessing Okoi, had lured Hope away at approximately 1:28 pm by offering him biscuits and eggs.
Realizing her son was missing, Lydia, alongside family members, went to the school to gather more information.
They learned that the woman was known locally as “Destiny’s mum” since her child attended the same school.
However, upon visiting the residence of Destiny, they discovered that the suspect had fled the premises that same night.
Several students identified the woman as Destiny’s mother, prompting the family to report the incident to the Trans Amadi Police Station.
The case was subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
Suspecting that the abductor might have escaped to Abuja, the victim’s aunt reported the case to the FCT Police Command.
FCT CP immediately ordered an investigation.
With dogged efforts, the police tracked Blessing Okoi to Maraba, Abuja.
On 29 November 2024, at approximately 8 pm, the suspect was arrested, and four-year-old Hope Evans was rescued after over two months in captivity.
During questioning, Blessing Okoi initially claimed to be Hope’s biological mother, referring to him as “David Evans.”
However, her claims were inconsistent with information provided by the boy’s actual mother, who confirmed her son’s identity and presented recent photographs as evidence.
The suspect later admitted to changing the boy’s name to David and revealed she had deceived her former lover, Evans, into believing he was the child’s father.
She claimed the boy was the result of a previous relationship, and her boyfriend had accepted the child as his own.
In another twist, the suspect was found with another young boy, whom she claimed was her son, stating that his father had died.
Hope’s mother, Lydia, arrived in Abuja on 6 December 2024, where she was joyfully reunited with her son in the office of the Commissioner of Police.
The emotional moment ended two long months of separation.
Disu used the occasion to advise school proprietors to prioritise the safety of children in their care and commended his officers for their dedication in recovering the child.
The CP said that Blessing Okoi, remains in police custody, undergoing further interrogation and facing imminent charges in court.
While speaking with reporters, Hope Evans’ mother expressed her gratitude to the FCT Police Commissioner and his team for their efforts.
She said: “Since this incident happened, I have not been able to sleep. My husband has been restless and even accused me of giving our son to my parents to sell, out of frustration. But I thank God the police have found my son, and I am vindicated.”
What’s the update on the recent clash in Osun State between personnel of the Nigeria Police and those of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)? It’s about four weeks on that the state government and respective security service promised to investigate the shameful incident, but seem yet to follow through.
Hostilities flared between officials of the two security services in Osogbo last month in a supremacy battle that the agencies blamed on each other, but which boils down to rank indiscipline. The corps accused the police of brutalising its personnel who were on lawful security duty at a housing estate in the state capital, and keeping one of the corpsmen in detention for some days. A statement by the spokesman of Osun NSCDC command, Adeleke Kehinde, said the problem began on Tuesday, 22nd October, at about 8p.m. when individuals in native ‘Ankara’ fabric but with jacket top, claiming to be policemen, drove in a private vehicle into an estate that is guarded by personnel of the Osun command of the NSCDC purportedly to arrest a suspect. The plainclothed individuals were reportedly confronted by the corpsmen for proper identification, which they refused to provide and rather resorted to intimidation of the NSCDC personnel before leaving the estate.
But that did not end the matter, according to the NSCDC statement. Policemen numbering about 20 returned the following day to physically assault corpsmen at the estate and took one of them away in handcuffs – first to Ataoja police division before moving him to the Police State Headquarters. Efforts by the leadership of the Osun NSCDC command to bail out the arrested corpsman were allegedly rebuffed, and he was held in police detention for three days before being released. Osun NSCDC Commandant Michael Adaralewa demanded a probe, saying “there should be no sacred cow, and we are not going to allow the matter to be swept under the rug.”
The police issued its own statement in which it accused NSCDC operatives of obstructing policemen who had gone to the Osogbo estate to arrest a criminal suspect. Spokesperson of the Osun Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, said policemen who came from the Oyo State Police Command on investigation and to arrest the suspect were rough-handled by corpsmen guarding the estate, making the policemen call for reinforcement from the nearest division. “Upon arrival of the reinforcement, the policemen were rescued and one of the (NSCDC) personnel who assaulted the police officers and prevented them from performing their lawful duty was arrested and taken to State CID for investigation,” she further said, adding that investigation of the incident was ongoing.
Following the clash, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke called a State Security Council meeting to interrogate the matter. Police Inspector-General Kayode Egbetokun as well condemned the incident and vowed a probe. The narratives suck, but Hardball won’t preempt the official probes. What’s the update?
The Police will deploy about 22,239 operatives for conduct of the off cycle governorship election in Ondo State, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of zone 17, Abiodun Oladimeji Asabi has said.
AIG Asabi, who spoke on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun at the stakeholders meeting ahead of the 2024 Ondo state governorship election scheduled for November 16.
The Police boss said election is a crucial democratic process in which electorates have the opportunity to exercise their rights of franchise to choose their leaders by majority votes.
He said given the fact that the process of election leads to the emergence of leaders, the stakes are always very high as most contenders with their followers tend to deploy all means to ensure victory.
He said “In our clime, some contenders strategize to generate some heat in the polity thereby posing security threats. Regarding such threats, provision of security before during and after the process becomes an essential and concerted duty.
“It is common knowledge that success of any important process like the forthcoming Governorship election in this state depends on peace, order and security. Therefore breach of the peace or security can surely scuttle the success expected in the exercise.
“It is very pertinent for all stakeholders to discharge our various duties with security conscious approaches. We should bear it in mind that performing our roles in the fair and orderly manner will certainly reduce the security threats to the barest minimum, with a far reaching effect on the credibility of the election.
“The Nigeria Police and other supporting security agencies responsible to provide security in the forthcoming election have a responsibility to solidly synergize and work as a formidable team to identify and nip in the bud, all security threats, provide water-tight security at the polling stations as well as all the public spaces within the state.
“Security of the voters the electoral officials, the electoral materials and the general public will have to be effectively provided before, during and after the election. This can be efficiently achieved by concerted covert and overt operations by the synergized security agencies assigned for the election duties.
“In order to deliver adequate election security, the Nigeria Police, apart from additional manpower from sister agencies, is going to deploy a total of 22,239 officers for the exercise.
“It is equally significant to advise the other stakeholders like the political parties, the contesting candidates and their agents to conduct themselves peacefully and lawfully, in line with global best practices of democracy.
“All stakeholders should eschew violence, avoid the do-or-die approach, should not employ thuggery and play the game according to the rules in the spirit of sportsmanship that will enable the loser to lose gallantly and the winner to be magnanimous in victory.
“It should be stated that violators of electoral laws run the risk of diligent prosecution. He that loses today may win tomorrow- there is always hope for the future.
“To the press and the observers, you are requested to report objectively with a quantum of positivity devoid of odium inspiring elements. You should project the true image of the election without negative sentiments that are capable of triggering a breach of the peace. This will help us maintain a peaceful and hitch free conduct of the election”.
“Let us approach the forthcoming election with an open and positive mindset, filled with unwavering determination to do the right thing in our various roles and foster a peaceful, free and fair election.
“On our part as security agencies, we promise to leave no stone unturned in order to provide hitch-free and conducive atmosphere prior, during and the post-election security at the conclusion of the process. We shall ensure that the success recorded in the Edo Election will be improved upon”.
In continuation of their intervention in Nigerian boxing, Flykite Productions, organisers of GOtv Boxing Night, have donated a high-quality training ring to the Ikeja chapter of the Nigeria Police Boxing Association.
The donation, which took place yesterday, followed the gifting of gloves, punching bags and headgear to Tipo Boxing Academy and Capo Boxing Gym, both in Lagos Speaking during the presentation, Chief Operating Officer, Fkykite Productions, Bamidele Johnson, said the gesture is a component of the company’s Corporate Social Investment Initiatives, which are aimed at accelerating the development of Nigerian boxing and boxers. “We are delighted to present this ring to the Nigeria Police Boxing Association. Our goal is to support your boxing club and contribute to the growth of Nigerian boxing, with the hope of developing boxers who will bring pride to the country,” he said.
Representative of the Police Boxing Association, Augustine Okporu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, described the ring as the best gift the boxing association ever received. “I know about Flykite’s efforts at developing talents and promoting boxing and I am delighted that they have extended their gesture to our association. This is the best gift we’ve ever received in our association. I say a big thank you to Flykite Productions for supporting us,” Okporu said.
Flykite Productions has been a key figure in the promotion of boxing in Nigeria, having successfully organised 31 editions of the GOtv Boxing Night and the GOtv Boxing NextGen Search, an initiative focused on discovering and developing young boxing talent nationwide.
The Inspector General of Police Olukayode Egbetokun has heaped praises on the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation for their palpable dedication and commitment to the cause of football development in Nigeria, insisting that football is a game that unites all Nigerians across all known physical, mental and economic boundaries.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by a team of NFF chieftains led by the President, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, Egbetokun admitted that crime rate does decline around the country whenever any National Team or Club of choice of football adherents are on duty.
“The Nigeria Police Force recognizes and appreciates the potential of football to work wonders for national unity, social cohesion and economic growth. In truth, football has the capacity to take criminals away from the streets. It is no gainsaying that we record lower incidences of crime when football teams are doing their business.
“We promise to continue to support you to develop the game in our country to an excellent level, as we look forward to a more robust relationship with your organization.”
Earlier, the NFF President commended the Inspector General for swiftness at all times in deploying officers, men and materials to venues of football matches in the country, from the low cadres of the league to international matches.
“We are here because we appreciate the importance of security in all our activities, programmes and events. This is to physically express our deep appreciation for the job you have been doing in readily sending officers, men and materials to secure the venues of football matches in the country. Your officers and men have been doing excellent work for us.
“Our country is one of football-passionate citizens. We also plead with the Inspector General to revive the Police Football Team that was very strong in those days, and also to consider giving a special quota to sportsmen and women who want to enlist in the Police Force.”
Gusau thereafter informed the Inspector General that the world football-governing body will soon dispatch to its Member Associations a new template for securing football venues, and that the NFF will need to provide special training in that regard to officers and men of the Force who are dedicated to providing security at match venues.
Present at the occasion were the top echelon of the Nigeria Police Force including four Deputy Inspectors-General, as well as NFF 1st Vice President Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu; NFF 2nd Vice President Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye; Chairman of Technical Committee, Alhaji Sharif Rabiu Inuwa; General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi; Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire; Director of Competitions, Ruth David; Head of Security, Barnabas Joro; AD Protocol, Emmanuel Ayanbunmi and; Abubakar Barde, special assistant to NFF President.
