PSC Elevates Senior Police Officers in Major Promotion Exercise

The Police Service Commission has approved the promotion of senior police officers across various commands and specialties, including 12 Commissioners of Police (CPs) elevated to the rank of Assistant Inspectors General (AIGs), 16 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) to substantive Commissioners, and 27 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) to Deputy Commissioners.

The promotions, which also included 145 Chief Superintendents of Police (CSPs) elevated to Assistant Commissioners, followed rigorous examinations and interview sessions coordinated by the Commission’s Standing Committee on Police Matters.

In a statement issued on Monday, July 21, 2025, by the Commission’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, the PSC confirmed that one ACP was absent during the process and, therefore, was not promoted.

The promoted CSPs included officers in General Duty as well as various specialist cadres such as Airwing, medical professionals (doctors, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, nurses), ICT, lab scientists, engineers, and chaplains.

Also elevated were 29 Specialist Superintendents of Police (covering fields like Info-Tech, Works, and AFIS) who were promoted to CSP, while 38 Deputy Superintendents (also specialists) moved up to Superintendent rank.

Among the 12 newly promoted AIGs are Johnson Oluwole Adenola, CP Oyo State; Ako Benedict Gabriel, CP Anti-Fraud; Ahmadu Tijani Abdullahi, CP Jigawa; Emmanuel Aina, Acting AIG Intelligence; and Omolara Ibidun Oloruntola. Others include Hassan Abdu Yababet, CP Police College Jos; Bretet Emmanuel Simon, CP Taraba; Enyinnaya Inonachi Adiogu, CP FCID Gombe Zonal Command; Aminu Baba Raji, CP Special Unit FCID Alagbon; Mohammed Mu’azu Usman, CP Eastern Ports; Festus Chinedu Oko, Acting AIG DLS Department; and Ronke Nurat Okunade, Special Fraud Unit, FCID Annex Lagos.

Those promoted to the rank of Commissioner of Police include Uduak Otu Ita, Sheikh Mohammed Danko, Charles Ezekwesiri Dike, Nnana Oji Ama (DC Intelligence FCID), and Gabriel Onyilo Eliagwu. Others are Abiola Reuben Olutunde, Yakubu Useni Dankaro, Michael Adegoroye Falade, Aina Adesola, Umar Ahmed Chuso, and more.

Officers who moved up to the DCP rank include Shehu Idris, David Adio Alalada (acting DCP Admin, Enugu), Abdulkarim Nuhu (Area Commander, Port Harcourt), Olufemi Akinwale Akinola, Isa Abubakar Adamu, Sunday Omonijo, Abimbola Shafkat Abdulraheem, Adekunle Murisiku Tokosi, and ACP Ndidiamaka Alifi Oguamalam (Police College Ikeja), among others.

In a statement, retired DIG Taiwo Lakanu, fdc, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Police Matters, said the promotion processes were guided by merit and performance during exams and interviews. The report was presented to the Commission in plenary before approval.

Also speaking, DIG Hashimu Argungu (rtd), Chairman of the Commission, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to promotion exams as a permanent feature going forward, emphasizing that officers must now prove themselves to earn elevation.

“The promotion exams have come to stay in line with global best practices. Officers must sit up or be shown the way out,” Argungu said.

He urged all promoted officers to rededicate themselves to service and uphold the highest standards of professionalism in policing.

“The Police Force of the 21st Century must be competent, courageous, and credible enough to free Nigeria from the grip of criminals and criminality,” he added.