PRESS RELEASE

POLICE WELFARE: IGP, DIGNITARIES DECORATE 20 AIGs, 19 CPs WITH NEW RANKS.

As IGP Charges Officers to Adopt, Effectively Propagate Positive Reforms.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Egbetokun Olukayode Adeolu, Ph.D., NPM, with other dignitaries, on Tuesday 25th March 2025 at the Goodluck Jonathan Peacekeeping Hall, Force Headquarters, Abuja, decorated newly promoted Senior Police Officers with their new ranks amidst cheers from their families, friends, and professional colleagues.The officers affected by the promotion included 20 CPs to the rank of AIG and 19 DCs to the substantive rank of CP.

This is sequel to the recent promotion approved by the Police Service Commission at the request of the IGP, and a continuation of the innovative policies implemented by the IGP which has recorded the most promotions in the Force within the shortest time frame.

Among the newly decorated officers are AIGs Fasuba Olabode, Musibau Ajani, Aliyu Abubakar, Patrick Adedeji Atayero, Gyogon Grimah, Olaiya Victor Mobolaji, Chukwudi Ariekpere, Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, Olaolu Adegbite, Godwin Eze, Disu Olatunji Rilwan, Alausa Tolani, Kareem Musa, Mohammed Shehu Dalijan, Dan-Mamman Shawulu, Clement Robert, Musa Auwal Mohammed, Thomas Abraham Nabhoni, Abel Jangnap Zwalchir, and Ifeanyi Uka.

In addition, the decorated officers from the rank of Deputy Commissioners of Police to Commissioners of Police are CPs Usman Tahir, Sunday Okoebor, Ayodeji Faniyan, Saka Adewale Ajao, Omole Ola, Hope Okafor, Ajo Geofrey Oroue, Olufunke Ogunbode, Stephen Ogedengbe, Iyabode Oluwatoyin Agbaminoja, Adebowale Lawal, Ojo Adekimi, Yemi Oyeniyi, Obasi Okereke, Moses Ottah, Felix Nnebue, Gazali Abdulsalam, Fidelis Ogarabe, and Olubode Ojajuni.

In attendance was the Former Senate President, His Excellency David Mark; the Lagos State Governor, His Excellency Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Dr Ayodele Ogunsan; the former Governor of Ekiti State, His Excellency Otunba Niyi Adebayo; former speaker Akwa-Ibom House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke; members of the Force Management Team; serving and retired Senior Police Officers, families of promotes and other dignitaries.

The Inspector-General of Police while congratulating the newly promoted officers, charged them to adopt a strategic and progressive approach towards policing, as well as propagating the ongoing positive reforms aimed at enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Force.

ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI,
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA.

25th March, 2025

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a man identified as Falade for allegedly impersonating a retired United States military officer.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Wilfred Afolabi, who disclosed this while addressing journalists in Akure on Monday, March 24, 2025 said Falade and his followers recently caused unrest in the Idogun community, Ose Local Government Area of the state.

He confirmed that Falade had been prosecuted in court and remanded at a correctional centre in Akure following his arrest.

“A report was made to this office of the activities of one Falade, who claimed to be a retired Navy Captain who served in the American military. For years now, Falade has been a terror in the Idogun Community, under the Ose Local Government. When this matter was brought to my attention, I called him with the intention of inviting him over to my office to give his own side of the story,” Afolabi said.

“What I received in response were unprintable words. Even at that height of provocation, I remained calm. Even when the matter was given to one of our tactical commanders to look into, when he invited him over, he called him stupid. That notwithstanding, I called for a peace meeting that took place in the police mess, which he attended. The chairman of Ose LG and other stakeholders from their community were there. All of them were enjoined to go back and maintain peace. Unfortunately, when he returned, instead of de-escalating tension, he escalated it.”

The police commissioner further alleged that Falade operated with individuals posing as airforce personnel and used a fake passport.

“Now, this Falade in question goes about with fake, fake passport and fake airforce personnel, who also joined him in perpetrating his nefarious activities. Just last week, a report came that some of the boys on the side of Falade, led by the same Falade, abducted some of the people going to the farm, confiscated their properties, went away with it, and I said I’ve had enough,” Afolabi stated.

He explained that after Falade’s arrest, he faced a 10-count charge in court.

“So, the SWAT team moved in and apprehended Falade, brought him to Akure, started an investigation, and in the course of the investigation, he was found criminally liable, and there were 10 count charges against him, and he was prosecuted accordingly.”

Afolabi noted that following Falade’s remand, his supporters in the Idogun community reacted violently

“When the matter got to court, he was remanded at a correctional center, and the moment the people in the community heard this, they went riotous, made bonfire, cut a very big tree across the road, so we had to move in more men to go to that place. Now, in the course of trying to restore peace, one of our officers was given a machete cut on his head. But the area was later calmed by the policemen deployed in the town.”

The police boss urged residents of the state to use lawful means to address community challenges rather than resorting to violence or illegalities.

By Deborah Nnamdi

The Nigeria Police has made over 2,300 arrests in various operations carried out nationwide from February 2025 to the present.

A breakdown of the figure showed that 602 were armed robbery suspects, 385 kidnapping suspects, 557 murder/homicide suspects, 215 individuals involved in unlawful possession of firearms, 286 rape suspects, and 276 suspected cultists.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, said operatives also recovered 333 firearms, 6,422 rounds of ammunition of various calibres and 200 stolen vehicles.

He added that a total of 324 kidnapped victims were rescued during these operations.

Adejobi said, “Focusing on operations conducted from February 2025 to date, the Nigeria Police Force has made substantial progress in combating crime across the nation. Numerous arrests were made in connection with various heinous crimes.

“The Force recorded the arrest of 602 armed robbery suspects, 385 kidnapping suspects, 557 Murder/homicide suspects, 215 suspects connected with the unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, 286 rape suspects, 276 suspected cultists and recovery of 333 various firearms, 6422 ammunition of various calibres. The Force was also able to recover 200 stolen vehicles and rescue 324 victims of kidnapping.

“On display in today’s briefing are several exhibits connected to these crimes, including, 89 rounds of ammunition of various calibres, 6 AK-47 rifles, 1 AK-49 Rifle, 1 Israeli Pump action rifle, 2 pump action rifles, 1 single barrel rifle.”

Highlighting one of the high-profile cases, Adejobi said operatives arrested eight kidnappers at the Kogi-Edo border.

He identified the suspects as—Tukur Salisu, Sani Abubakar, Mahmud Sani, Umar Abdullahi, Salisu Mohammed, Salisu Usman, Bashir Audu, and Jibril Haruna.

He said, “On 11/3/2025 at about 1830hrs operatives of IRT en route to Edo state on special duty at Oshara Ganden, a boundary between Kogi and Edo states ran into an ambush by kidnappers.

“The operatives employed their operational prowess to overpower the armed to-the-teeth kidnappers, arrested eight of them, and recovered from them 1 AK 47 rifle with 29 rounds of ammunition, 1 new Israeli pump action rifle with four rounds of cartridges, two pump action with seven rounds of cartridges, a single barrel with two cartridges and two operational motorcycles.”