New Rivers CP Takes Charge, As Outgoing Leaves State In Peace
It was an emotional moment on Thursday, January 2nd, 2025, when the outgoing Rivers Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Bala, who was promoted to Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) and deployed to Zone 6 Calabar, handed over the mantle of leadership to the newly deployed Commissioner of Police, CP Olubenga Adewale Adepoju.
In his brief speech at the Police Officers Mess, Old GRA, PortHarcourt, AIG Bala stated that he worked peacefully in Rivers and is leaving peacefully.AIG Bala urged command officers, Rivers People, and the media to give CP Adepoju all the necessary support to enable him to succeed in policing Rivers State.
In his response, CP Adepoju thanked the outgoing Rivers Police Chief for his fatherly disposition while they worked together. The new Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, also thanked his predecessor, AIG Mustapha Bala.
He said, “On behalf of officers and men of the command, I express my gratitude to AIG Bala. He has seen us through a lot. He has shown exceptional leadership. We enjoyed his stay in Rivers.”
Earlier, the outgoing Rivers Police Boss, who has been deployed to zone 6 command headquarters in Calabar, rewarded the Divisional Police Officer(DPO) of Bori in Khana LGA, CSP Okanlawon Olufemi, for neutralizing a very notorious kidnapper in the LGA. CSP Ojo Lawrence, DPO Akinima in Ahoada West LGA, was given a token for neutralizing a notorious leader and his gang members in December 2024.
The Outgoing Rivers police boss and CP Adepoju decorated Elijah Eleke, promoted to Assistant Commissioner of Police from Chief Superintendent of Police. The AIG also decorated Umar Hassan, who was decorated with the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.
