Police chief deploys commissioners to eight states
Inspector General Olatunji Disu has approved the deployment of new police commissioners to eight state commands and several strategic formations nationwide.
The Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has approved the deployment of new commissioners of police to eight state commands and several strategic formations across the country. The deployment, announced Thursday evening, followed the approval of the IGP’s recommendations by the Police Service Commission.
The newly appointed commissioners are Afolabi Olutokunbo (Abia), Ayodeji Faniyan (Plateau), Saka Ajao (Bayelsa), Ajo Ordue (Cross River), Nanna Ama (Anambra), Patrick Daaor (Edo), Tani Murtala (Jigawa), and Samuel Erale (Delta). Police spokesperson Ani Iniedu said the appointments are intended to enhance leadership across state commands and specialised police formations while consolidating efforts to reposition the Force.
The IGP also approved the redeployment of senior officers to key operational and administrative departments at the Force Headquarters, the Force Criminal Investigation Department, the Force Intelligence Department, the Police Academy, the Police Staff College, and other specialised formations. Among the appointments, Yemi Oyeniyi was deployed to the Intelligence and Training Department of the FID, while Charles Dike will head INTERPOL at the FCID.
Disu charged the officers to leverage their experience in strengthening intelligence-led policing, improving operational efficiency, promoting professionalism, and deepening community engagement. He urged them to remain committed to protecting lives and property while maintaining high standards of discipline, accountability, and service delivery.
This is not the first time a police chief has reshuffled command structures ahead of critical elections. The 2018 pre-election deployments in Osun and Ekiti followed a similar pattern, with the police seeking to assert control over volatile regions. The difference this time is the scale: eight states in one announcement signal a broader strategy to secure the electoral landscape.
The winners: the newly appointed commissioners, who gain significant authority; and the Nigeria Police Force, which gains fresh leadership in key states. The losers: the outgoing commissioners, who have been replaced; and the Nigerian public, who must hope the new leadership will improve security.
Bottom Line: A major police reshuffle has placed new commissioners in eight states. The goal is stronger leadership. The question is whether it will deliver better security.