Cross River CP Redeployed After 99 Days In State

By Jonathan Ugbal

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has redeployed the Commissioner of Police in Cross River state, Mr. Uche Anozie after 99 days.

Mr. Anozie, a statement by Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba said, has been posted to the Force Criminal Investigation Department’s Annex in Lagos, as head.

The statement was however, mute on the new police chief posted to the state.

Mr. Anozie resumed duties on March 26, 2020 following a swap between him and his predecessor, Mr. Nkereuwem Akpan who moved to Anozie’s former area of command, Bayelsa after spending about four months as the police chief in the state.

Governor Ben Ayade is said to have been instrumental in the swap which was never announced by the police authorities.

According to the release, the IGP also created five new zonal commands in Ukpo – Dunukofia, Awka, (Anambra state); Katsina, Maidugri (Borno state); Yenagoa (Bayelsa state) and Akure (Ondo state) as zones 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 respectively.

The inaugural chiefs in the zones are; i. AIG Zone 13 Ukpo-Dunukofia (Awka) – AIG Dan-Mallam Mohammed, fdc

ii. AIG Zone 14 Katsina – AIG Rabiu Yusuf

iii. AIG Zone 15 Maiduguri – AIG Lawal Ado

iv. AIG Zone 16 Yenagoa – AIG Austine I. Agbonlahor, fdc

v. AIG Zone 17 Akure – AIG David Oyebanji Folawiyo, mni

AIG Agbonlahor has served as CP in Cross River state until November 2019, when he was promoted. He is said to have been in a very close relationship with Governor Ayade and was instrumental in the state’s plans in the arrest of journalists and critics including Jeremiah Archibong, Nicholas Kalu, Agba Jalingo and Joseph Odok.

The new postings and redeployment follows an approval of President Muhammadu Buhari to expand and re-structure the police force.

And, AIG Adeleye Olusola Oyebade as well as AIG Ibrahim A. Lamorde have been redeployed to the Department of Research and Planning and Directorate of Intelligence, Force Headquarters, Abuja respectively.

“Prior to this posting, AIG Adeleye Olusola Oyebade, was a Directing Staff at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos while AIG Lamorde, a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was the AIG in-charge of Force Intelligence,” the police said.

The postings which are “with immediate effect,” also shows that CP Asuquo A.A Amba, former Commissioner of Police, Ekiti Command takes charge as AIG of the new FCID Annex Gombe while CP Olafimihan A. Adeoye, former CP Federal-SARS takes charge as the AIG FCID Annex Enugu.

​“The IGP charges the affected Senior Officers to bring their wealth of experience to bear in their new places of assignment. They are to ensure that policing is brought closer to the people and work with relevant stakeholders to tackle crime and improve on policing services across the country,” the police said.