Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has listed the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) head, DCP Tunji Disu, for promotion to Commissioner of Police (CP).
According to The Guild, Disu and the 32 others were said to have been selected as the officers that were qualified to gain promotion for their selfless service to both the command and citizens across the country.
The online publication quoted a source familiar with the situation as saying the senior police officers will face a panel of interviewers on Tuesday where they would be expected to explain why they should be promoted to the CP rank.
Some listed for the promotion interview set to be conducted by the Police Service Commission (PSC) include Zubairu Abubakar, Godwin Eze, Clement Robert, Patrick Atayero, Nwonyi Emeka, Musibau Ajani, Tolani Alausa, and Abubakar Aliyu.
Others are Zakaria Sanda, Audu Dabigi, Hayatu Ali, Garba Ahmed, Fasuba Akinyele, Emuobo Ekokotu, Gyogon Grimah, Olaiya Mobolaji, Chukwudi ChrisObaemi Adesanya and others.
The police source disclosed that, bar major hitches, the senior policemen will be converging at the Force headquarters today before leaving for the PSC secretariat to participate in the promotion interview.
“All those going for the promotion interview especially Disu, merited the post considering their contribution to the protection of life and property across the country over the years,” they said.
Disu, who was appointed by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Alkali Baba to replace Abba Kyari as IRT commander in August 2021, is one of the top names on the list.
Disu being decorated by Akinwunmi Ambode, former governor of Lagos State, with the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police in 2019
Before his appointment as IRT commander, he was known for transforming the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Lagos State after his appointment in June 2015.
RRS is a special security outfit founded and funded by the Lagos State Government and it was created to serve as the metropolitan police to maintain law and order within the metropolis, as well as the nooks and crannies of the state
One of Disu’s first moves as RRS commander was the rebranding of the squad in which the officers were known as #TheGoodGuys.
Calling the RRS officers the good guys was a mindset strategy to re-orientate them and make them come to terms with the fact that they occupy sensitive public position, and that they have to behave responsibly and strictly adhere to the basic tenets of policing, which is protection of lives and property.
Despite the public’s unfavourable view of the entire police force, Disu’s RRS was one of the few bright spots.
His model of policing is predicated on the principle of ‘Policing by Consent’ with emphasis on 4Es of Engaging, Educating, Explaining and Enforcing the law.
Essentially, the principle is about engaging the people, educating the people, explaining to the people, and then enforcing the law to maintain law and order.
As RRS commander, Disu led a pragmatic and revolutionary movement that brought about the training of officers on Emotional Intelligence, Anger Control and Management, and De-escalation of crisis.
Considering the fact that RRS officers are usually the first responders during emergencies, the officers were equally trained on First Aid and CPR to help save lives.
Disu’s moves to ensure police officers conduct themselves properly brought positive results.
During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, RRS officers took a woman in labour from her house in Ikoyi to the hospital after her husband was seen on the road in the wee hours of the morning in distress and desperately looking for help. She eventually delivered a baby girl.
The affected officers were handsomely rewarded by Disu, who always commended his men’s good deeds.
Also, during the EndSARS protests against police brutality in 2020, Disu reportedly released his command’s ambulances to help protesters in need of medical care.
Before Disu’s progress to the command of Lagos RRS and IRT, he 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.
Disu’s tenure as the IRT commander has also been relatively successful.
In July 2022, the IGP commended the Disu-led Force Intelligence Bureau Intelligence Response Squad (FIB-IRT) for recent successes, which included the arrest of a fraud syndicate specialised in breaching bank accounts of individuals and corporate bodies.
