NEWS
Veteran DIG Frank Mba, Retires After 34 Years, PSC Moves to Promote Seven AIGs Ahead of New IGP’s Force Management Team
The Nigeria Police Force witnessed a significant leadership transition on Thursday as Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Frank Mba, the Force’s Deputy in charge of Training and Development at Force Headquarters, voluntarily retired after 34 years of distinguished service.
DIG Mba’s retirement follows closely on the heels of former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun’s exit and the appointment of IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu as the new head of the force, signaling a new era in Nigeria’s policing leadership.
In a parallel development, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has invited seven Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) for promotion interviews to the rank of DIG, positioning them for possible inclusion in the Force Management Team under the new IGP.
The officers invited for the interviews are Margareth Ochalla, Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, Ishiaku Mohammed, Zacharia Fera Achinyan, Zango Ibrahim Baba, Mohammed Abdul Sulaiman, and Umar Shehu Nadada. According to the PSC, the interviews are scheduled to take place at the commission’s office on Friday.
DIG Mba’s career with the Nigeria Police Force began in May 1992 when he joined as a cadet officer. Demonstrating exceptional aptitude, he graduated as the best cadet in academics at the Nigeria Police Academy, Kano.
An accomplished legal practitioner, Mba is a frontline member of the Nigerian Bar Association. He earned a law degree from the University of Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002 after completing the Nigerian Law School in Abuja. He subsequently obtained a Master’s degree in Law with distinction from the University of Dundee, Scotland.
Over the years, he enriched his professional experience with international programmes, including the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, United States, and leadership courses at Harvard University and the University of Oxford.
Mba represented Nigeria in international peacekeeping, serving with distinction in the United Nations mission in Liberia between 2006 and 2007.
Domestically, he held several strategic postings across operations, investigations, administration, and public relations. His notable assignments included Area Commander in Ajah and Festac, Lagos; Commissioner of Police in Ogun State; Commissioner of Police overseeing the Border Patrol Force at Force Headquarters; and Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Panti, Lagos. He also served as the Force Public Relations Officer and Lagos State Police Command Spokesman.
In his farewell message, DIG Mba expressed deep gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the opportunity to serve under his administration.
“I am deeply grateful to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the privilege of serving our great nation during his administration. The confidence reposed in the Nigeria Police leadership and the support given to the institution during this period have been invaluable,” he said.
Reflecting on his decades-long service, Mba acknowledged the crucial role of the Nigerian populace in supporting policing efforts.
“I want to sincerely thank the good people of Nigeria for the trust, encouragement and cooperation they extended to me throughout my 34 years in service. Policing is a difficult but noble profession, and whatever success we recorded was made possible by the understanding and support of Nigerians. I leave the service with a heart full of gratitude and pride for having had the opportunity to serve,” he said.
DIG Frank Mba’s retirement marks the end of a remarkable chapter in the Nigeria Police Force, leaving a legacy of professionalism, dedication, and strategic leadership that has shaped the force for decades.