IGP Approves Appointment Of Deputy FPRO, State PPROs

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olukayode Egbetokun, has approved the appointment and deployment of dedicated police public relations officers and a deputy public relations officer at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the development in a terse statement issued on Saturday.

According to Adejobi, the appointments aim to enhance community engagement and strategic communication.

“The newly posted officers and their respective portfolios include CSP Isuku Victor Edailokun as Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters Abuja; DSP Ukandu Joshua to PPRO Ebonyi; ASP Buhari Abdullahi to PPRO Gombe; ASP John Timfon to PPRO Akwa-Ibom; and ASP Hundeyin Isaac Sewanu to PPRO Ports Authority Police (Western) Lagos.

“The Inspector General of Police hereby reiterates his commitment to standardising and repositioning the Force in line with his vision statement while wishing the newly posted officers success in their new roles,” the statement reads.

Adejobi noted that the newly posted personnel have been “tasked to be professional in their dealings and foster unalloyed relationships with members of the public.”

State Police: Falana Warns Against Oppression, Calls For Well-Defined Policies

Meanwhile, Human rights advocate, Femi Falana, SAN, has emphasized the necessity for well-defined policies to govern the establishment and operation of state police forces across Nigeria.

Speaking on Channels Television’s program, ‘Inside Sources With Laolu Akande,’ Falana supported the idea of state policing as a measure to combat the escalating insecurity challenges within the country but stressed the importance of policy precision to ensure the protection of citizens’ rights.

Amidst rising concerns over terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, and other security threats which have continually undermined Nigeria’s economic progress, calls for state police creation have grown louder.

Recently, gunmen attacks on communities in Kogi and Kaduna states have reignited debates on localized policing as a viable solution to Nigeria’s security woes.

Naija News reports that Falana highlighted the constitutional basis for the coexistence of federal and state police forces within a federation but warned against potential misuse.

“There are governors in Nigeria that will turn state police into an instrument of oppression,” he cautioned, pointing out that even the federal police force has been accused of similar abuses.

His comment comes just as the federal and state governments agreed to explore the creation of state police as a strategy to address the nation’s deepening security crisis.

He pointed out that many communities and estates already operate their private security arrangements, some of which are armed, indicating a de facto decentralization of policing.