A major shift is unfolding within the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force following the voluntary retirement of Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Training and Development, Frank Mba, after 34 years of service.
Mba’s exit comes amid a wave of changes triggered by the recent retirement of former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the appointment of Olatunji Rilwan Disu as the new head of the force.
As part of the ongoing restructuring, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has invited seven Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) for promotion interviews to fill vacant positions at the top echelon of the police hierarchy.
The officers slated for the interviews are Margareth Ochalla, Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, Ishiaku Mohammed, Zacharia Fera Achinyan, Zango Ibrahim Baba, Mohammed Abdul Sulaiman, and Umar Shehu Nadada.
According to the PSC, the senior officers are expected to appear before the commission on Friday for consideration for elevation to the rank of Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs), a development that could see them join the Force Management Team under the new Inspector-General.
Mba, who joined the Nigeria Police Force in May 1992 as a cadet officer, rose through the ranks over three decades, building a career that spanned operations, investigations, administration and public relations.
He first gained national prominence as the Force Public Relations Officer and also served as spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command. Earlier in his career, he distinguished himself academically by graduating as the best cadet in academics at the Nigeria Police Academy in Kano.
A member of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mba earned a law degree from the University of Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002 after attending the Nigerian Law School in Abuja. He later obtained a Master’s degree in Law with distinction from the University of Dundee in Scotland.
Throughout his career, he attended several international training programmes, including the FBI National Academy in Quantico in the United States, as well as leadership courses at Harvard University and the University of Oxford.
Mba also represented Nigeria in international assignments, notably participating in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Liberia between 2006 and 2007.
His various postings included serving as Area Commander in Ajah and Festac in Lagos, Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Commissioner of Police in charge of the Border Patrol Force at Force Headquarters, and Assistant Inspector-General of Police overseeing the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Panti, Lagos.
In his farewell message, the retiring police chief expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the opportunity to serve the country during the administration.
“I am deeply grateful to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the privilege of serving our great nation during his administration. The confidence reposed in the Nigeria Police leadership and the support given to the institution during this period have been invaluable,” he said.
“It has been a great honour for me to contribute my quota to the security and stability of our country.”
He also extended appreciation to Nigerians for their support throughout his years in service.
“I want to sincerely thank the good people of Nigeria for the trust, encouragement and cooperation they extended to me throughout my 34 years in service.
“Policing is a difficult but noble profession, and whatever success we recorded was made possible by the understanding and support of Nigerians. I leave the service with a heart full of gratitude and pride for having had the opportunity to serve,” Mba said.