A major leadership transition is underway in the Nigeria Police Force as Deputy Inspector-General of Police Frank Mba and several other senior officers prepare to retire from service.
The development comes amid recent changes at the top of the police hierarchy following the departure of former Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun and the appointment of Tunji Disu as the new head of the force. Disu was sworn in on Wednesday as the 23rd indigenous Inspector-General of Police.
Sources at the Force Headquarters disclosed that the affected Deputy Inspectors-General had been preparing for their exit but were awaiting an official signal before formally leaving office.
“The DIGs are very ready to leave, but they are waiting for signals. Many of them had already moved their belongings from their offices in anticipation of their retirement,” a source familiar with the development said.
Meanwhile, seven Assistant Inspectors-General of Police have been slated for promotion to the rank of Deputy Inspector-General of Police, a move expected to create room for the retirement of the outgoing DIGs.
According to sources, the officers listed for elevation include Margreth Ochalla, Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, Ishiaku Mohammed, Zachariah Fera, Zango Ibrahim, Umar Shehu Nadada, and Muhammed Abdul Sulaiman.
The officers are expected to appear before the Police Service Commission in Abuja on Friday for promotion examinations, which will determine their elevation to the senior rank.
When contacted, the commission’s spokesman, Torty Kalu, neither confirmed nor denied the development.
One of the officers expected to retire, Mba, is widely known for his distinguished career in policing and legal practice. A trained lawyer, he obtained his law degree from the University of Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002 after attending the Nigerian Law School in Abuja.
He later earned a Master’s degree in Law with distinction from the University of Dundee in Scotland and attended several international professional programmes, including the FBI National Academy in Quantico, United States, as well as leadership courses at Harvard University and the University of Oxford.
Throughout his career, Mba served as Commissioner of Police in Ogun State and also headed the Border Patrol Force at the Force Headquarters. He previously held operational command positions as Area Commander in Ajah and FESTAC areas of Lagos.
The anticipated promotions and retirements are expected to reshape the senior leadership structure of the police as the new Inspector-General begins his tenure.
