PSC appoints Opara as FCT police boss

The Police Service Commission has approved the posting of former Personal Assistant to Retired Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro, CP Peter Ukachi Opara as the substantive Commissioner of Police Federal Capital Territory Abuja.

Opara replaces CP Benneth Igwe who has since been promoted to the next rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police and posted to Zone 7 Abuja as the Zonal Assistant Inspector General of Police.

According to PSC spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, the new FCT Commissioner was the immediate CP Force Secretary’s office and former Deputy Commissioner of Administration and Finance Imo State Command.

He also at a time served as Personal Assistant to former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, IGP Mike Okiro rtd. Cp Opara was DCP Legal Studies Police Academy. POLAC, Wudil Kano, Area Commander Aba and Uyo; Area Crime Officer kubwa, and Senior Deputy Defence Adviser Police, Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations, New York.

He was severally Personnel Assistant to the Inspector General of Police; DIG works, DIG Operations, and Personnel Assistant to CP Lagos State Command.

He said the Commission has also accepted the recommendation of the Inspector-General of Police, for the replacement of CP Miller Gagere Dantawaye with that of CP Festus Eribo as the new substantive Commissioner of Police Akwa Ibom State Command.

Dantawaye was one of the four Commissioners of Police recommended for posting as substantive Commissioners of Police.

CP Festus Eribo, a law graduate of the University of Calabar was at a time Liason Officer at the Police Service Commission and later Assistant Commissioner, Federal Operations, Force Headquarters.

He served as Area Commander Area M, Lagos, Area F Lagos and State CID, Lafia Nasarawa state. He was Area Commander Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State, Deputy Commissioner, Zonal CID Zone 9 Umuahia, and Deputy Commissioner Operations, Kogi State Command.

He was also the substantive Commissioner of Police, Taraba State.

The Commission had earlier approved the posting of four Commissioners of Police which included that of Abia, Lagos and Ebonyi states.
Born on June 30, 1967, in Owerri, Imo State, Opara Peter Ukachi is a highly accomplished law enforcement officer with an impressive record of service in the Nigeria Police Force. A native of Uzoagba in Ikeduru Local Government Area, Opara is married and a devout Christian.

Over the years, Opara has risen through the ranks to become the Commissioner of Police, currently serving as the Deputy Force Secretary at the Police Force Headquarters in Abuja.

Opara’s career spans various leadership roles, including Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Finance and Administration at the Imo State Police Command and DCP for Legal Studies at the Police Academy in Wudil, Kano.

His extensive experience includes notable stints as Area Commander in Aba, Abia State, and Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. He also served as Senior Deputy Defence Adviser (Police) at Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, where he represented the nation on international security matters. Throughout his career, Opara has held several personal assistant roles, including to the Inspector-General of Police and various Deputy Inspectors-General, showcasing his trusted leadership.

Opara’s educational qualifications are equally impressive. He holds an LL.M from the University of Jos (2003-2006) and an LL.B from Abia State University, Uturu (1989-1994). He is also a Barrister at Law, having completed his legal training at the Nigerian Law School in 1995.

His commitment to professional development is evident in the numerous courses and seminars he has attended, both locally and internationally. These include the Peacekeeping Support Operations Development Course in Ghana, the Gender Equality Course in South Africa, and the United Nations Police Officers Course in Norway. He has also undergone specialized training in strategic leadership, performance management, and crime scene management.

Opara is a member of several prestigious organizations, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). Outside his professional commitments, he enjoys reading, traveling, and helping people, reflecting his deep sense of responsibility to society.

With a career marked by dedication and excellence, Opara Peter Ukachi remains a key figure in Nigeria’s law enforcement landscape.