From Ben Dunno, Warri
The reception organized by policemen attached to Ekpan Divisional Headquarters under Delta state Command of Nigeria Police Force on Saturday, July 7, 2024, in honour of the national awards won by its Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Aliyu Shaba, during the maiden Inspector General of Police (IGP) Olukayode Egbetokun’s Award and Commendations ceremony, held at the prestigious Transcorp Hilton Congress Hall, Abuja, on April 15, 2024, was quite revealing.
It was an event that witnessed the convergence of top military and police officers as well as other sisters security agencies and other stakeholders, including members of the civil society groups, corporate bodies representatives, business owners, especially those in entertainments and hospitality sectors who came out in their large numbers to honour the invitation.
The host Ekpan community was equally not left out as representatives of the Ovie of Uvwie kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Emmanuel Ekemejewa Sideso Abe I, ably led by former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice In Delta state, Chief Victor Otomewo, the community leaders and youth bodies representatives as well as the women leaders who were adequately represented.
It was an occasion that gave the award recipient, CSP Shaba, the rare opportunity to throw more light on how he was invited to the force headquarters to see the IGP and how he was scared of what must have warranted the directives and how he had to summoned up courage to keep the appointment that was later to become a good news of how his hard work has paid off to earn him double awards as the best DPP and the best police officer in the federation.
According to him; “It is a very happy day for me and the Nigerian police Force, especially Delta state police Command because what happened that day was a shock at myself I least expected it. I was only called by the PSO to Inspector General of Police that I am expected to be in Force Headquarters at Abuja on 14th of April and I must be there”.
“Fortunately for me, I had to book a flight, then my CP called me that I must be there because the IG said so , so I was scared that my flight should not be postponed and I prayed it will not be cancelled, eventually when we got to Abuja, I was at the airport when the CP called me demanding to know where I was and I told him I was very close to the Force Headquarters”.
“Eventually when I got to Force Headquarters, I was asked to go to meet the DC, I met him and he told me about an award giving ceremony which the President and Commander-In-Chief (CinC) will be attending I was told to be at my best. The next day we went to Transcorp Hilton and I discovered that all the AIGs, all the CPs in Nigeria, all the DCs. The Vice President, all the Service Chiefs, including the Senate President were present in this award giving ceremony”.
“This I least expected, I took my seat with my wife and they started announcing the awardees, my name was projected for three (3) awards, two of which was; The crime buster of the year, The best D.P.O of the year and the last award was to be announced by the IG himself”.
Continuing; “The moment they said I was the best DPO in Nigeria, all the CPs who had served at Delta Command like; DIG Hafiz, DIG Adeleke, DIG Ari, AIG Wale Abbas, all came to congratulate me for a well deserved award. DIG Hafiz prasied me, saying that when issues that would negatively affect the police come up, I usually make breakthroughs that outshine whatever negative impacts at the Delta state. And of course. the award for the Best Crime Buster of the year was given to another CSP from Imo state.
“Finally when the Vice President, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, was invited to the podium, he was to present the award of Inspector General of Police on behalf of the president of Nigeria, I had already gone outside when they announced the awardees for the Inspector General of Police award. And I was very happy when my name was mentioned as the winner of the best police officer award of the year”.
“It was at this point also that all my former and present bosses at the Command collectively went to greet the Inspector General of Police on the high table and thanked him for considering me worthy for the award and told him that I actually deserved it”.
“So while the award for the Best DPO was presented to me by the Honorable Minister of State Police Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, that of the Best Police Officer in Nigeria was presented by the Vice President Shettima himself”.
“It was after the awards presentation that His Excellency the Governor of Delta state, Rt. Hon. Elder Sheriff Oborevwori, called to congratulate me and noted that by this award, I have made not only the state but also Ekpan community proud and he appreciated the fact that Ekpan and the entire Uvwie Local Government area is now very peaceful during his watch as the governor”.
“I have come here to say that whatever I have achieved today is not by my power, it is by the will of God and the support I got from you all working with me here at Ekpan Division and in the other Divisions and units where I have served”, he concluded.