BREAKING: Nigeria Police Begins Promotion Exercise For Long-Serving Inspectors To ASP Rank, Sets August 29 Deadline

The Nigeria Police Force has initiated a new round of promotions for officers in the inspectorate cadre, with a strict deadline of August 29, 2025, for the submission of all eligible candidates’ records.

In a wireless message obtained by SaharaReporters on Wednesday, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) directed all departments, formations, and state commands to compile and submit comprehensive nominal rolls of all Inspectors who were promoted in 2017 and 2018 and subsequently confirmed between 2019 and 2020.

According to the internal directive issued by the Force Secretary in Abuja, the records must be arranged strictly by seniority and include annual performance evaluation reports (APER forms) duly signed for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025.

The message instructed all concerned departments to submit the data in both hard and soft copies, with soft copies required in Excel format and delivered via a dedicated email address—[email protected]—as well as on a flash drive.

The required data fields include the officer’s force number, rank, name, date of birth, date of enlistment, date of promotion, date of confirmation, command/formation, state of origin, and duty classification (general duty or specialist).

The move signals the IGP’s renewed push to regularise promotions within the Force after internal controversies over perceived bias and irregularities in recent special promotion exercises.

A source at Force Headquarters said, “This promotion exercise targets inspectors whose last promotion was in 2017, 2018, 2019, or 2020, and who are now due for elevation to the rank of ASP. The IGP directed all state commands to compile and forward their names for consideration.”

The Force has emphasised that the process must be completed by August 29 to avoid disqualification, with the message marked as "very important" to ensure strict compliance across all commands.

Last Monday, SaharaReporters reported that the Police Service Commission (PSC) had approved the promotion of 12 Commissioners of Police to the rank of Assistant Inspectors General (AIGs) as part of its ongoing reforms aimed at professionalising the Nigeria Police Force.

The Commission also elevated 16 Deputy Commissioners to substantive Commissioners of Police, and 27 Assistant Commissioners to Deputy Commissioners. One Assistant Commissioner who was absent from the exercise was not promoted.

According to a press statement signed by the Commission’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, and issued on Monday, the PSC also approved the promotion of 145 Chief Superintendents of Police (CSPs) to Assistant Commissioners.

These included general duty officers and specialists from various departments such as the Airwing, Medical Unit (Doctors, Dentists, Pharmacists, Lab Scientists, Physiotherapists, and Nurses), Priests, Aircraft Engineers, and others.

Additionally, 29 Superintendents of Police—all specialists in Information Technology, Works, and Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS)—were promoted to the rank of Chief Superintendent. Thirty-eight Deputy Superintendents (Specialists) were also promoted to Superintendent.

The newly promoted AIGs include Johnson Oluwole Adenola (CP, Oyo State); Ako Benedict Gabriel (CP, Anti-Fraud); Ahmadu Tijani Abdullahi (CP, Jigawa); Emmanuel Adegbola Aina (Acting AIG, Intelligence); Omolara Ibidun Oloruntola; Hassan Abdu Yababet (CP, Police College, Jos) and Bretet Emmanuel Simon (CP, Taraba).

Others are Enyinnaya Inonachi Adiogu (CP, FCID, Gombe); Aminu Baba Raji (CP, FCID, Alagbon); Mohammed Mu'azu Usman (CP, Eastern Ports, Port Harcourt); Festus Chinedu Oko (Acting AIG, DLS Dept, Force HQ) and Ronke Nurat Okunade (Special Fraud Unit, FCID Annex, Lagos).

The 16 Deputy Commissioners promoted to the rank of Commissioner of Police are: Uduak Otu Ita, Sheikh Mohammed Danko, Charles Ezekwesiri Dike, Nnana Oji Ama (DC Intelligence, FCID), Gabriel Onyilo Eliagwu, Abiola Reuben Olutunde, Yakubu Useni Dankaro, Michael Adegoroye Falade, Aina Adesola, Umar Ahmed Chuso, Emefile Tony Osifo, Innocent Ilogbunam Anagbado, Musa Mohammed Sani, Victor Avwerosuo Erivwode (DC SEB, FCID), Omoikhudu Philip, and Sylvester Edogbanya.

The 27 Assistant Commissioners of Police elevated to the next rank of Deputy Commissioners include Shehu Idris; David Adio Alalada, acting DCP Admin, Enugu State Command; Dalhatu Basher; Hamzat Tambai; Abdulkarim Nuhu, Area Commander Port Harcourt; Olufemi Akinwale  Akinola; Sani Fudaiku Kura; Yakubu Isah; Isa Abubukar Adamu; Sunday Omonijo; and Sunday Akinlolu Okunola.

Others are Abimbola Shafkat Abdulraheem; Adekunle Murisiku Tokosi; Ibrahim Sumaila Musa; Mohammed Jega Musa; Musa Jibril; Ali Isa Gumel; Dankal Umar Bello; Suleiman Ladi Abdullahi; Suleiman Sade; Ahmed Ataka Tanko; and Shehu Aliyu.

ACP Ndidiamaka Alifi Oguamalam, Police College Ikeja; Magawata Mode; Adedeji Adeniyi; Bello Zaurah Tukur; Mohammed Muntari Mati and Mohammed Ajose were also promoted to Deputy Commissioners of Police.