FOLLOWING the recent approval by the Chairman of Police Service Commission (PSC), Dr. Solomon Arase and the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police Force now have 1,607 more Superintendents of Police (SPs).
Of the newly promoted SPs, 55 are from the Lagos State Police Command under the leadership of CP Adegoke Fayoade, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP reports.
Yesterday at the State Command HQ, CP Adegoke Fayoade decorated the 55 DSPs who are now SPs. The decoration ceremony was witnessed by members of the Lagos command management team including DC Operations, DCP Fatai Tijani; DC Administration, DCP Khan Saliu Usman; AC Administration, ACP Mary Anyim; AC Operations, ACP Emmanuel Oyewole; PPRO, SP Benjamin Hundeyin.
NAOSNP reports that the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer of Lagos Command, SP Stephen Kuti; Officer in Charge, OC Patrol and Guard (P & G), SP Ugbeh Benjamin; OC State CID Panti, SP Lawal Akeem were part of the newly ranked SPs.
In his address to the new promotees, CP Adegoke Fayoade said that promotion ‘is a thing of joy. I can imagine the joy radiating on the faces of everyone promoted. We are just starting. More of this promotion will come and it will meet you alive and in good health.
This joy will not take away another joy. It will be accumulation of joy. I congratulate you, you will get more ranks. I wish you the best in this noble profession of ours.’
CP Fayoade wants them to place high premium on the SP rank that they have just gotten. ‘In those days, to become a SP is tough but it is made more available than before. I remember the Governor of Kano state then was a SP so you can see how important the rank is. Don’t rubbish the rank, be proud of the job, be proud of the rank but do it with humility and hardwork.’
On the new zeal and commitment which they must bring to service, the no. 1 cop in Lagos, Fayoade noted: ‘Promotion is not for ceremony. It is an indication that you have worked hard. It is your desire to move to another level, that requires you to work harder than before.
Apart from that, you also have to see yourself as an officer that have been given greater responsibility. You have to change your attitude and your approach to work in the way you relate with members of the public.’
He admonished: ‘Every aspect of your life has to change for the better on the job and outside the job. Some of you forget that when you are not wearing the uniform, you are still a policeman. So any act of commission or omission, it will be said Officer So and so, you must be above board.
You have a big role to play, the role is to continue to improve the image of the Force. We need to do that because of how the public perceive us. You have to be good ambassador at your various posts exhibiting best quality. You must be a good listener, problem solver, you must sit on the problem and see to the successful completion.
You must make yourself available at all times for the public that you have signed to serve.’
‘Having a new rank does not mean you become lord especially when you are at home that you will be giving orders and if they don’t obey you will threaten them with detention. This rank must make you show high level of humility. You must not misuse your new office.
It must make you more serviceable at home and in the office. It is not time to go out to get drunk and become useless at home. It is a call to diligent duty. It is a call to make a difference, to change the negative stories and perceptions of the Police’,
Fayoade concluded.
Some of the newly promoted SPs spoke with National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP at the ceremony. OC Patrol and Guard (P & G), SP Benjamin Ugbeh remarked: ‘Today is a very wonderful day for me to attain the rank of SP. It is a special day for me. I use this opportunity to thank IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun and the CP Adegoke Fayoade for promoting us to this special rank. We must be diligent, we must be civil to members of the public, we must not use our new rank to intimidate our junior ones.’
On his part, the deputy PPRO, SP Stephen Kuti noted: ‘I give thanks to the Almighty God. It came at the right time in the time of fasting. I give thanks to Almighty Allah. Every rank comes with its own responsibility. We shouldn’t let it get into our heads, it should rather boost my mannerisms to work and to know that the public needs more. It is a call to duty to serve my people more.
It is a seal of confidence not for intimidation. The IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, the PSC Chairman Dr. Solomon Arase, CP Adegoke Fayoade and other members of the team who have contributed in no small measure to making officers’ promotions faster.
They are encouraging us to do more.’
