Rivers, Kano, 14 others get new police commissioners

• IG sets up special squad to investigate electoral offences

AS preparations for elections continue, 16 Commissioners of Police (CPs) have been given approval to be redeployed to some states by the Police Service Commission (PSC), even as a special investigative team has been set up by the police leadership to investigate electoral offences.

  A statement from the PSC, signed by the Head of Media and Public Affairs, Okechukwu Ani, said Rivers, Kano, Oyo, Edo, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Bauchi and Ekiti are among the 16 affected states, which according to the commission, is in line with the “drive to reposition the Force for optimal performance.”

  The CP in Police Mobile Force (PMF) at the Force Headquarters, Ibrahim Idris, is to take command of Kano State; Fredrick Lakanu, who was in Ekiti State, has now moved to Ogun State Command, while Samuel Ogunjemilusi, who was the CP INTERPOL at the FHQ, is now to take over in Ekiti.

  Also, Karma Hassan, who was CP in Anambra State, is moved to Rivers State, while his former Second-in-Command in Anambra, Paul Yakadi, assumes full Command of the state. And Mohammed Usman is to command Nasarawa State.

  Three (3) CPs, who were serving at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS), Kuru, are also affected, as Musa Katsina Mohammed is to take over in Oyo, Usman Tilli Abubakar takes over Jigawa and Olufemi Ogunbayode is to assume command in Zamfara respectively.

  Also, CP Nyats Jatau, who until now was the CP Railway Lagos, is moving to Taraba State Command; Mohammed Mohammed, the hitherto Deputy Commandant of the Police Staff College (PSC) Jos, is to take Command in Bauchi State.

  Others are Counter Terrorism Unit CP at the FHQ, Joshak Habila, deployed to Abia State; Salisu Fagge, Sokoto State Command; Damilola Adegbuyi, Edo Command; Danladi Mshelbwala is to take command of Kebbi and Tonye Ebitibituwa is to take charge of Cross River Command.

  Meanwhile, the Inspector-General (IG) of Police, Suleiman Abba, has ordered the constitution of a “Special Investigative Team to be headed by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Force Legal/Prosecution Department to investigate offences emanating from elections in the country.”

  Abba disclosed this during a closed-door meeting with the police management, Zonal AIGs and Command CPs on Tuesday on preparation and readiness of the Force to ensure free, fair, credible and violence-free elections as well as provide the needed security during the process.