ICYMI: Couple who joined the force same day decorated as commissioners of police

Usman Baba, inspector-general of police (IGP), on Friday, decorated Kehinde Patrick Longe and his wife, Yetunde, as commissioners of police. 

The couple were among the 17 deputy commissioners of police promoted by the Police Service Commission (PSC) in December 2021.

While reading their citations, Frank Mba, police spokesman, said the couple were coursemates enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on the same day.

Kehinde and Yetunde joined the force on March 3, 1990, as cadet assistant superintendents of police (ASP).

They met during their training at the police academy in Wudil, Kano state.

Yetunde once headed the Lagos State Criminal Intelligence Investigation Department (SCIID) Panti, Yaba before she was redeployed in 2018.

She had served as 2iC at SCID, Lagos; 2iC at Area F Command in Lagos; commander-in-charge, Area F, Lagos; commandant at Police Training school; as well as deputy commissioner of police and officer-in-charge, SCID, Bauchi state.

While he was an assistant commissioner of police, Kehinde was the commander of Area ‘H’ Police Area Command, Lagos.

He had also served as the deputy commissioner of police in charge of operations in Oyo state.

Addressing the newly-promoted officers, Baba asked them to deploy their experience in helping the force achieve its mandate.

“The capacity of the human assets of any organization, particularly, at the strategic management level is fundamental to the attainment of the goals and mandates of such institution,” Baba said.

“This fact is even more critical for a law enforcement agency that is as strategic to the internal security of the nation as the Nigeria Police Force.

“This is because the rapidly changing dynamics of crime and the attendant increasing threat to security require quality police managers that have the requisite professional knowledge, experience, and competency to effectively provide leadership directed at managing such internal security realities.

“It is in cognizance of this fact that since my appointment as Inspector General of Police, I have been collaborating effectively with the Police Service Commission in ensuring that appropriate processes are emplaced to identify and promptly elevate deserving officers with unblemished service records to higher ranks

“This is a strategic management approach that is directed at motivating the workforce of the Nigeria Police in committing to the duty of addressing current and emerging internal security threats.

“I am convinced that all of you, the newly promoted officers seated here, fit perfectly into my human capacity development requirement and I am confident that you will deploy your wealth of experience towards supporting the Nigeria Police in the attainment of our mandate, especially at this crucial time in our nation’s internal security evolution

“Let me, however, remind you that to whom much is given, much more shall be expected. Crime, as you know, is a dynamic and increasingly complex phenomenon and the citizens of this nation as well as the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force demand of your higher level of loyalty, courage, incorruptible disposition, and professional competence needed to positively alter the policing and internal security narratives of our beloved country.

“In line with this, some of you shall be deployed to critical duty posts where your strength of character and professionalism shall be optimally tested. I trust that you shall not fail the Nigeria Police Force, neither will you fail the nation in the demanding responsibilities that your new ranks shall impose on you.”