By Tony Adibe
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has appointed Commissioner of Police Fidelis Ndubuisi Ogarabe as the new Commissioner of Police for Enugu State.
NewsBits reports that Ogarabe’s appointment is part of the deployment of four commissioners of police to Enugu, Plateau, Nasarawa and Ondo states following interviews conducted by the commission to assess the officers’ competence and suitability for their new assignments.
Ogarabe’s appointment is particularly interesting because he has considerable institutional familiarity or “bond” with Enugu State, having spent approximately 16 years serving two successive administrations – governors Sullivan Chime and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Before his current appointment, Ogarabe served as the Commissioner of Police in charge of the INTERPOL Annex, Lagos.
Ogarabe’s career in the Nigeria Police Force:
Ogarabe has served in several strategic positions within the Nigeria Police Force.
His previous assignments include:
- Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Enugu.
- DCP, General Investigation, Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).
DCP Administration, Anambra State Police Command.
- Commissioner of Police, INTERPOL Annex, Lagos.
Ogarabe also served in other operational and administrative capacities within the police force. Besides, he served two Enugu governors as Chief Security Officer. One of the most significant aspects of Ogarabe’s career is his long-standing relationship with Enugu State.
He reportedly served three consecutive terms as Chief Security Officer to two former governors of Enugu State between 2007 and 2023. The governors were:
Barrister Sullivan Chime: 2007–2015.
Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi: 2015–2023.
His previous experience in criminal investigation, police administration, international law enforcement coordination, and Government House security would be useful in managing the state’s security challenges.
The other officers deployed are CP Sunday J. A. Okoebor, former Commissioner of Police, Police Accounts and Budget, Force Headquarters, who has been posted to Plateau State.
CP Sheikh Mohammed Danko, formerly of the Force Intelligence Annex, Lagos, was deployed to Nasarawa State, while CP Johnson Ayodeji Babalola, who served at the Special Inquiry Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja, was posted to Ondo State.
The deployments were approved on Thursday at the Solomon Arase Conference Hall, Police Service Commission Headquarters, Abuja. According to a statement issued on Thursday by the commission’s Head of Protocol and Public Relations, Torty Kalu, the appointments were made in line with the commission’s constitutional mandate.
The Chairman of the commission, DIG Hashimu Salihu Argungu, said the deployments were carried out in accordance with Section 215(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers the PSC to appoint Commissioners of Police for each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Argungu, who was represented by a board member, Justice Paul Adamu Galumje (JSC, retd.), said the officers were found worthy in learning and character. He urged the newly deployed commissioners to discharge their responsibilities with impartiality and uphold the standards and expectations of their respective offices.
