Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has appointed Tunji Disu as the new Commissioner of Police (CP) for Rivers State, leading to the redeployment of CP Nwonyi Emeka to the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
This announcement was made by Force spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi in a statement released on Thursday.
The decision to reassign Emeka from the Rivers State Police Command and appoint Disu to the position comes in the aftermath of a political crisis that recently unfolded in the oil-rich South-South state.
Last week, protesters called for Emeka’s redeployment, prompted by former governor Nyesom Wike’s efforts to impeach Governor Sim Fubara. Governor Wike alleged that the police shot at him while he was inspecting a burnt section of the Rivers State House of Assembly. However, the police refuted this claim.
In addition to these changes, the IGP has issued new postings for 14 Assistant Inspectors General of Police and 24 Commissioners, indicating a broader restructuring within the police force.
Disu’s new appointment comes barely seven months after he was promoted alongside 32 others from the rank of deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) to commissioner of police (CPs) and was subsequently appointed by the IGP as his principal staff officer, leading and coordinating the security team attached to the IGP’s office and others.
Before now, Disu was the deputy commissioner of police, Department of Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja, and previously served at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for Rivers Command as the deputy head of the unit.
He was head of the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and a former commander of the Rapid Response Squad in Lagos State.
In a similar fashion, the IGP moved CP Mohammed Barde from Imo State Police Command to Safer Highways at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. Barde was replaced with CP Danjuma Aboki. This comes days to the November 11, 2023 governorship poll in Imo State.
The IGP charged the newly posted officers to be professional and diligent in their duties.
