By Ayo Akanni
ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – Some senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force have reacted to the elevation of the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Jimoh Moshood, to the position of Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).
Moshood’s appointment as Acting DCP was approved Thursday by the Police Service Commission (PSC), following recommendation from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Kpotum Idris.
A source at the Commission told our reporter that “the elevation was done to fill the vacancy that has existed in the Police Public Relations department.
“The office of the FPPRO was supposed to be occupied by an officer in the rank of a Deputy Commissioner of Police”.
An anonymous source at the Force Headquarters also corroborated the stand of PSC, saying the elevation was necessary for the standard of the Force.
“Since the promotion of Jimoh’s predecessor, Don Awunah to Commissioner of Police and subsequent redeployment, the Police Public Relations department has not been at par with those of other security agencies, who has higher ranking officers as head.
“To bridge the gap, the police high command yesterday approved Jimoh’s promotion in acting capacity”, the source said.
Also commending the IGP for the elevation, a senior officer who pleaded anonymity said: “Check the ranks of those heading the Public Relations departments of all government security agencies in the country and you will see that they are officers whose ranks are equivalent to Commissioners or Deputy Commissioners.
“The Nigerian Army has a Brigadier General as Director Public Relations; for the Navy, it is a Commodore and Air Force Public Relations department is headed by an Air Vice Marshal (two-star General).
“Then, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has a Deputy Comptroller as head of the unit and same with the Nigerian Immigration and Prison Services, while the Federal Road Safety Commissioner’s head of public relations is a Corps Commander. I see nothing wrong with Jimoh’s elevation”, said the source.
Attempt to reach the Force PRO, DCP Moshood at press time failed, as he was said to be attending to another interview.
Moshood, who was until Thursday an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), was promoted from the rank of Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) in January 2018.
