Don Awunah, former police spokesperson, dies after ‘brief illness’

Don Awunah, a former police spokesperson, has died.

Before his death, Awunah was the assistant inspector-general of police in charge of zone 16, Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.

Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, said Awunah died on Monday at Garki hospital, Abuja after a brief illness.

Adejobi said Usman Baba, inspector-general of police, has sympathised with the family of the late police officer.

“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, fdc, on behalf of the Force Management team, and Officers of the Nigeria Police Force, regrets to announce the demise of an eminent communicator, ardent officer, and Member of the National Institute, AIG Donald Ngorngor Awunah, psc(+), fnipr, fsi, mni, which occurred in the early hours of today, Monday 23rd May, 2022, at Garki Hospital Abuja, after a brief illness,” the statement reads.

The deceased, who hailed from Benue state, was enlisted into the force on March 15, 1988.

Awunah is an alumnus of the University of Ilorin (2014-2015); Institute of Security Studies, Abuja (2014); Benue State University, Makurdi (2009-2010, 1995-1996); Federal Polytechnic, Ida (1989-1990); and the University of Lagos (1981-1984).

He obtained a master’s degree in international relations and strategic studies from Benue State University in 2010, and a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from the University of Lagos in 1984.

Awunah was a member of the Nigeria police contingent to the UN peacekeeping mission in East Timor between 2008 and 2009 — where he served as the UN police spokesman.

Over the years, he served in various capacities in the force.

He was the second-in-command of the special fraud unit, FCID Abuja (2001); assistant commissioner of police, management service (2009-2010); area commander, Owerri command, Imo state (2010-2011); assistant commissioner of police, CID ‘D’ department, Akwa-Ibom state (2011-2013); deputy commissioner of police, criminal investigation and intelligence department, Edo state (2014); and deputy commissioner of police in charge of homicide, FCIID (2014).

In 2016, he was appointed as the force spokesperson, and in 2018, he became the commissioner of police in Bayelsa.