By Christopher Oji
The Ipaja Police Division, Lagos State Police Command, Alimosho Local Government Area, Lagos State, at the weekend, celebrated two retiring officers and nine newly promoted officers in grand style.
The Ipaja Divisional Police Officer (DPO) CSP Hauwa Idris Adamu, who organized the event, combined it with the station’s end-of-the-year celebration. She said it was good to celebrate the living, rather than wait until they are dead.
The officers, who are proceeding on retirement at the end of January 2025, were celebrated at the weekend during the party organised by the divisional police headquarters in Ipaja.
The retiring officers were Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Musa Usman, the Divisional Traffic Officer and DSP Akinyemi Olubisi.
The DPO also deemed it fit to celebrate the nine senior officers of the division who were promoted to the next rank recently, including DSP Akinyemi Olubisi, DSP Abalaka Mary, DSP Apena Lateef, DSP Ikuenomore Akintola, and DSP Eguaroje Olusegun. Others are DSP Ayoade Adeleye, DSP Adeyanju Kehinde, DSP Aladegboye Adenike and Effiong Bassey.
In her remarks, Idris thanked Almighty God for making it possible for them to celebrate the officers, both retiring and promoted, at Ipaja-Alagolo divisional police headquarters.
“I want to seize this opportunity to welcome everybody to Ipaja Division, Alagolo. I am just four months old here, and I feel like I have been here for over four years, based on the love I received from the communities. I know that I am not perfect but there’s room for improvement.
“I deem it fit to celebrate my officers today; it isn’t easy, it is a very rigorous and difficult journey for a policemen and women.
“Every policeman you see out there performing his or her job is putting in so much.
“The last couple of months has not been easy for us. When everyone was sleeping in their various houses, we were all outside to ensure that everywhere was peaceful.
“December was very rigorous for us. We didn’t celebrate Christmas and New Year with our families. We were all here at work and on standby. That’s why I deem it fit to celebrate my policemen. I can’t do it alone. I must do it with them. They are my backbone. I stand here this afternoon to celebrate them,” the DPO said.
She stated that promotions also came along the line where a couple of officers were promoted to the next rank, including herself, while some officers will be proceeding on retirement this month on the completion 35 years in service.
She also added that the division lost two officers under the period covered, October till date: “One of them would have been promoted to his new rank but he died along the line.”
She, however, urged officers and men of the command to police with the fear of God and respect human rights.