JONAS EZIEKE , Abuja
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olukayode Egbetokun has described as case studies in Police service the two senior officers who won the Officer of the Year award category in the annual Police Awards and Commendation ceremony.
He stated this in opening remarks at the decoration of officers at the IGP Smart Conference Hall Louis Edet House Force Headquarters Abuja on Tuesday.
He said that the Police Force is not merely decorating the officers rather it is defining a legacy.
This historic moment he further stated, marks a deliberate and strategic departure from the shadows of mediocrity.
He said that it is a resounding reaffirmation of what the Police stand for — excellence, integrity, merit, and national pride.
The decorated officers by the IGP are CSP Shaba Aliyu, the Police Officer of the Year, 2023 decorated as Assistant Commissioner of Police ACP and SP Sentome Obi, the Police Officer of the Year 2024 decorated as Chief Superintendent of Police CSP
He said:”We have come to honour men whose stories now serve as institutional case studies in courage and professionalism
“These two officers did not walk casually into this honour – they earned it through distinction in a field of giants.
“They were selected from among the very best officers who had also demonstrated exceptional courage, integrity and professionalism, and who were nominated across multiple categories during the fiercely contested 2023 and 2024 award years”.
The IGP said that the process that led to their emergence was deliberately rigorous, grounded in objectivity and insulated from influence.
He further stated that it was a process designed to sift not just for performance, but for character. And they rose to the top – not by accident, not by favour, but by merit.
He pointed out that the award is devoid of lobby or favour and added that this is the standard.
According to him, the decoration is to elevate the meaning of service in the eyes of the Police institution and the nation the officers swore to defend.
The IGP also said that the ceremony is not routine rather it is transformational.
He also hinted that out of over 300,000 officers, only 38 met the stringent criteria for accelerated promotion.
The Police boss further stated that portraits of the honourees will now adorn the entrance of the Force Headquarters, and be mounted at the entrances of all Zonal and State Commands until new heroes emerge.
He explained that this act is not mere symbolism; rather it is a national call to aspiration.
The Police helmsman said that the initiative is not designed to replace the existing promotion structure; rather on the contrary, it complements it.
He also revealed that between 2023 and today, August 5 ,2025, over 10,000 officers have been promoted through our regular and transparent promotion processes.
He added that in the Force, promotion is no longer about who you know, it is about what officers contribute.
He also stated unequivocally that there is no gender advantage, no ethnic preference, and no religious pathway saying that it is only by merit.
The Police boss told the honourees that their new ranks carry a heavier burden and is not just a higher badge.
The Nigeria Police Force he said, is evolving and the management will not stop until service becomes synonymous with pride, promotion becomes the outcome of performance, and every officer becomes a beacon of national confidence.
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