The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Aderemi Adeoye, has decorated 10 newly promoted officers of the command with their new ranks.
Addressing the gathering in Awka on Tuesday, Adeoye emphasized that the police profession is a national duty, highlighting that promotion entails increased responsibilities and new postings bring forth fresh tasks and tests of competence.
Reflecting on his 35-year career in the Police profession, he recounted serving in various capacities across different regions of the country, including Maiduguri where he served as a Sector Commander for the Joint Task Force (JTF), and in Anambra State.
While urging the newly-promoted officers to rise to the occasion, the commissioner shared his own experience of embracing all postings with optimism, using each opportunity to demonstrate competence and excellence.
He advised police personnel against lobbying for specific postings, citing his own experience of being transferred from the national headquarters to the South-East to oversee the Police Mobile Force in the region’s five states, and subsequently being reassigned to Anambra State as a Deputy Commissioner of Police to address security challenges at the time.
He said, “I was posted from the National Headquarters Abuja down to the Southeast to Coordinate the Police Mobile Force in the five south-eastern states; from where I was later posted down to Anambra state as a Deputy Commissioner of Police to help sanitise the state of insecurity then, shortly after the assassination of Dr Chike Akunyili, the husband of the late former NAFDAC boss.
“Upon my posting, I worked tirelessly with other officers under my control to see that the security narrative in the state changed for good.
“During the 2021 governorship election, gunmen vowed that the election would not be held in Ihiala Local Government Area, where they had their headquarters during the time they were heavily terrorising the state and even designated some places as no-go areas in the state then.
“This command fought tooth and nail against the unknown gunmen to ensure that the election was held in Ihiala Local Government Area of the State during the 2021 gubernatorial election.
I was here for one year, and God helped us, the election everybody thought would not hold eventually held.
“That was the election that produced the current Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo. At first, there was an election in all parts of Anambra State, but no election in Ihiala Local Government Area, because the unknown gunmen had their headquarters there.
“And immediately we finished election in other parts of the state, we mobilised the whole force to Ihiala and we engaged them in a shootout in a bush from morning till night, so that they would not go to the Ihiala town to disrupt the election. I was in the helicopter, coordinating the operation and God helped us to succeed.
“Today Anambra is safe and peaceful because some police officers have worked hard for it. And I stand here to declare and assure you that never again will the people of Anambra State be subjected to that kind of mindless bloodletting by miscreants. If they raise their heads to do it again we will take the battle to them.”
He extended congratulations to the newly-promoted officers and underscored the importance of maintaining a strong work ethic. He emphasized the significance of professionalism and exemplary behavior in their roles.
He urged them to view their promotions as an opportunity to enhance their service to the nation and humanity, emphasizing the need to justify the confidence placed in them by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun.
Among those recognized at the ceremony was David Iloyanomon, formerly DCP Administration, who received a promotion and was subsequently assigned as Police Commissioner in Taraba State. Additionally, four officers from the Anambra State Police Command were promoted from Chief Superintendent of Police to the rank of Assistant Commissioners of Police.
Four officers advanced from Superintendent of Police to Chief Superintendent of Police, while one officer was elevated from Assistant Superintendent of Police to Deputy Superintendent of Police.