The Anambra State Government has praised the Police Service Commission and the Inspector General Police for the recent promotion of three senior police officers, saying the promotions show that professionalism, loyalty and hard work pay.

The newly promoted officers are Dan-Mallam Mohammed, the first Assistant Inspector General of the newly created Zone 13 which covers Anambra and Enugu states with headquarters at Ukpo in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State; Joseph Egbunike, a police commissioner who has been made a Deputy Inspector General; and Chris Owolabi, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in Anambra State who has been elevated to Commissioner of Police.

In two separate letters to the chairman of the Police service Commission (PSC), Mr Musiliu Smith, and Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu, which were made available to the media in Awka this afternoon by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr C. Don Adinuba, the state government stated that “each of these senior officers is eminently deserving of his promotion”.

In one of the letters signed by Governor Willie Obiano, the government said that “it has come into close contact with these individuals and considers each an exemplary officer.

“DIG Mohammed established Zone 13 last year and insisted on carrying out his duties professionally, despite the desperation of certain elements to cause him to deviate from high purpose.

“He was here for a brief period, but during this period he was able to show that fairness, justice and fidelity to the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution are the values which guide him and every other police officer”.

On Egbunike, the state government said “he is our beloved son in whom all Nigerians are well pleased.

“His record is such that he had to earn a double promotion from Commissioner of Police to Deputy Inspector General of Police.

“He is a first class material who is steeped in the tradition of excellence like the Anambra State-born DIGs before him such as DIG Val Ntomchukwu and Mrs Peace Ibekwe-Abdallah”.

In the second letter, Governor Obiano described the promotion of DCP Owolobi to the rank of CP as “most welcome.

“I have worked with Owolabi, fondly called Owo Blow, for three a half years, since 2017.

“He has served different CPs in the state without issues, in spite of the fact that he was a senior DCP.

“He is highly regarded by his colleagues and the public as principled, firm and yet friendly.

“Mr Owolabi contributed in no small measure to making Anambra State the safest state in Nigeria and the most peaceful”.

Chief Obiano added that “the new generation of police officers, if provided with the right logistics to work with and given solid training which will expose them to the world beyond Nigeria and incentivised morally and materially – including the use of advanced information and communication technology, as we do in Anambra State – will compete easily with the police anywhere around the globe.

“After all, Nigerian police officers often take the first position when they go on international assignments.”

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