The battle to succeed outgoing Lagos State Police boss, Hakeem Odumosu will end today, Friday, January 14, 2022.

This is because Odumosu, who was promoted three weeks ago from the rank of Commissioner of Police (CP) to the next rank of Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police by the Police Service Commission (PSC), will be decorated today.

A signal from the office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Alkali Usman Baba, DTO; 121715/01/2022 directed that, “decorating newly promoted senior officers from the rank of Commissioners of Police is scheduled for Friday January 14, 2022”.

Odumosu is due to retire on January 22 after completing his statutory age. He served meritoriously in Lagos. During his tenure Odumosu had sleepless nights resulting in low crime rate in Lagos.

Discreet investigations reveal that two CPs are on the chessboard, one of whom will succeed Odumosu today. They are Delta State CP, Ali Mohammed Ari, from Nasarawa State and CP Abiodun Sylvester Alabi, formerly CP Bauchi but last month deployed to Force Headquarters Abuja. He hails from Ekiti State.

News Expressreliably learnt that though Mohammed had served in various capacities in Lagos State like Odumosu, and knows Lagos terrain like his palm, Lagos State Governor Babajinde Sanwo-Olu is said not to be disposed to him.

We also learnt that Sanwo-Olu had made an overture to the IGP Alkali and to the PSC on behalf of CP Alabi.

Alabi once served as DPO in Lagos, then as Mobile Squadron Commander in two different Mobile Squadrons also in Lagos where he quelled several riots. He was later moved to Bayelsa and Taraba states as a DCP.

Several officers in Lagos State Command who spoke under strict anonymity said they “prefer Alabi to Mohammed. He is a simple officer every police man would be free to work with. Though he is a tough officer yet he does not intimate officers who work under him.”

However, it is not yet clear if Gov Sanwo-Olu would have his choice approved by the PSC and FHQ.

Discreet investigations reveal that Sabwo-Olu’s grouse against Mohammed is that he was soft towards northern commercial motorcyclists (okada riders) who contravened the COVID-19 lockdown order.

We reliably learnt that the governor summoned Mohammed to his residence on a weekend in 2019 and challenged him on the allegation that he (Mohammed) was soft towards northern okada riders.

Mohamned was DC Operations in Lagos State before he was promoted CP last year.

An FHQ source hinted that Alabi may be deployed to Delta to replace Mohammed if Mohammed is eventually moved to Lagos

We reliably learnt that the signal of posting of the officers was slated for last week Friday, January 7, 2022, but was postponed till tomorrow because the Permanent Secretary of PSC was still on holidays.