A total of 4,959 officers of the Force recently promoted by the Police Service Commission, PSC, were among those decorated, Thursday, by Ibrahim Idris, Inspector-General of Police.
They included eight Assistant Inspectors General, AIGs promoted to Deputy Inspectors General, DIGs.
Also, 32 Commissioners of Police, CPs were elevated to Assistant Inspectors General, AIGs just as 65 Deputy Commissioners of Police, CPs were promoted Commissioners of Police.
In similar circumstance, 180 Assistant Commissioners of Police, ACPs were promoted to Deputy Commissioners of Police with 264 Chief Superintendent of Police, CSPs raised to Assistant Commissioners of Police in that order.
The recent promotion equally saw a total number of 95,570 personnel in the rank and file cadre promoted to various ranks in the Force.
Meanwhile, 4,000 illegal arms were recovered from wrong hands across Nigeria in the just- concluded mop-up exercise embarked upon by the police.
This came as the Inspector-General of Police charged all police personnel to “consider it a duty starting from this month to begin enforcement of all laws especially during the period of coming elections.”
Idris, who hailed Deputy Inspectors-General, DIGs, state Commissioners of Police and personnel of the Force in the various state commands for the successful conduct of the exercise, expressed happiness that the development had reduced the crime rate in the country to the barest minimum.
The police boss, while addressing a meeting he had with Commissioners of Police and above at the Force said he was fully convinced that the successful mop up of arms in the country had also paved way for a free election which the country was looking forward to.
According to him: “From the bottom of my heart, I believe our officers are doing their best to ensure that crime rate in Nigeria is brought to a minimum level. I want to also appreciate officers for the mop up of illegal arms which we have just concluded because from the record I have, I think we recorded almost about 4,000 illegal weapons which have been mopped up.
“I believe with this mop up, the level of banditry and violence will have been likely reduced to the barest minimum. Let me appreciate all the DIGs and the commissioners of police in all the commands in this respect. I want all of us to appreciate that in some few times, we are going to have a major election in this country and as police officers, we have a responsibility to provide a free and fair election with maximum security in this country.
“I believe and I can feel it in my heart that election next year is going to be peaceful.
“Like I always say, every police officer should consider it a duty starting from this month to begin enforcement of all laws especially during the period of this election. Let me thank all of you for giving the best in policing of this great nation.”
