IGP Salutes Officers for Exemplary Service in Somalia

By Toffa Momoh, Abuja

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olukayode Egbetokun, has commended officers of the Nigeria Formed Police Unit (NFPU) for their outstanding performance, professionalism, and dedication while serving under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

According to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the officers, deployed from 16th October 2023 to 14th June 2025, have recently been redeployed to undertake administrative and NFPU-12 Command Element duties at the AUSSOM Police/Mission Headquarters (PHQ/MHQ) in Somalia, Mogadishu.

Despite being trained primarily as Formed Police Unit personnel, these officers demonstrated remarkable adaptability, swiftly adapting to Individual Police Officer (IPO) responsibilities with little or no induction training. Their exceptional intelligence, discipline, and commitment enabled them to quickly master complex administrative and operational tasks, contributing significantly to the seamless functioning of AUSSOM Police operations during a critical period of security reconfiguration and strategic transition. This was contained in a letter written by the AUSSOM Police Commissioner to the Inspector-General of Police dated 12th June, 2025.

A total of fifteen officers were redeployed to these new duties, including CSP Shehu Gani Ahmed, SP Abraham Akhojie, SP Olivia Ugochukwu, SP Aliyu Makwa, DSP Jack Prince, DSP Odey Kingsley Lukpata, IP Nwite Sunday, and Sgt Ayeni Richard among others. Their contributions were instrumental in sustaining mission continuity and enhancing operational efficiency at the Mission Headquarters, earning them well-deserved recognition from AUSSOM leadership and international peacekeeping stakeholders.

The Inspector-General of Police expressed profound pride in the conduct and accomplishments of the redeployed NFPU officers, describing them as exemplary ambassadors of the Nigeria Police Force. He urged them to continue upholding the core values of discipline, professionalism, and service excellence, and reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to supporting peacekeeping operations and promoting global peace, stability, and cooperation.