Police appoint new spokesperson as leadership changes continue

The Nigeria Police Force has appointed Anthony Okon Placid, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), as its new Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), replacing Benjamin Hundeyin, who was recently removed from the position.

Sources at the police headquarters in Abuja confirmed the development, though an official announcement is yet to be issued.

The change comes days after reports that Hundeyin, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), had been asked to step aside from the role. According to sources familiar with the situation, the transition has already taken effect internally.

Placid now takes over the position as the force’s chief spokesperson.

Alongside the appointment, the police have also created a New Media Office to manage the force’s digital communications. Ali Giwa, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), has been appointed to lead the unit.

The restructuring is part of a wider set of changes within the police leadership following the appointment of Olatunji Disu as Inspector-General of Police.

Disu assumed office after Kayode Egbetokun stepped down from the role. He was first named acting IGP by Bola Tinubu on 24 February and later confirmed as the 23rd substantive Inspector-General of Police by the Nigeria Police Council on 2 March.

The leadership transition has triggered wider changes across the police hierarchy. Eight Deputy Inspectors-General (DIGs) who were senior to Disu retired from the service, while seven Assistant Inspectors-General (AIGs) were promoted to fill the vacancies created by their exit.

The appointment of a new police spokesperson and the creation of a dedicated digital media unit are seen as part of the force’s broader effort to reorganise its leadership and communication structure under the new IGP.