Following Friday, 16 June 2023, the Police Serve Commission’s approval of the appointment of a former 3-time Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, psc, mni, LLB (Hons), BL, LLM (Dundee), FCPA, FCECFI, fnipr, mipra as Deputy Inspector- General of Police, DIG, many have hailed the promotion as a welcome development.
A consummate, refined and vastly experienced cop with 31 years in service of the Nigeria Police Force, Mba has transversed different departments of the force in strategic areas of investigations, operations, administration and public relations/communications. Commenting on the promotion, the spokesman of the Police Service Commission, Ikechukwu Ani, explained that Mba is the most senior police officer from the South-East zone of the country.
According to Ani, “DIG Mba will represent the South-East zone in the Police Executive Management Committee and replace the retired DIG John Amadi who before his retirement represented the zone”. Currently, Mba has been deployed to head the Department of Research and Planning of the force.
Here are 10 things you need to know about the new Deputy Inspector General of Police in order to appreciate his Sterling qualities.
1. Mba was born in Lagos State 51 years ago and joined the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in 1992 as a cadet officer. He was trained at the Nigeria Police Academy, Kano, where he finished as the best graduating cadet. Thereafter, he commenced his policing career, rising through the ranks to his present status as a Deputy Inspector General of Police.
2. He spent 7 years as an Inspector before he was promoted in 1999 to an ASP and to a DSP in 2003.Through commitment and hardwork, MBA got promotion to an SP in 2008 after 5 years and to CSP in 2012.He was promoted to an ACP in 2014 and later to a DCP in 2018.Mba rose to the rank of a CP in December 2020.Three years after in March 2023, he was decorated as an Assistant Inspector-General of Police.
3. He is an alumnus of the University of Lagos, Akoka, where he obtained his LLB (Law) Degree. He attended the Nigerian Law School, Abuja and won the Justice Kayode Eso’s award for Best Student in Professional Ethics. He was subsequently called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002. He equally attended the University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom in 2005 for his Master’s degree in Law (LLM), graduating with Distinction. DIG Mba is also an alumnus of the prestigious FBI National Academy, Quantico – USA.
4. In addition, he holds a Certificate in National and International Security from Harvard University, USA. He is a Member of the National Institute (mni), having successfully completed the Senior Executive Course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru – Jos in 2022. He also attended the Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme at the Oxford Business School, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
5. A passionate and versatile officer, he has worked in many challenging Police Units and Departments in Nigeria, cutting across Investigations, Operations, Administration and Public Relations. These include the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, and the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Border Patrol Force, Department of Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
6. A three-time National Spokesman of the NPF and a recipient of the UN Medal, he was a member of the Nigeria Police Contingent to the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Liberia between 2006 and 2007.
7. Mba had served as the Area Commander in charge of Area ‘J’ Ajah and Area ‘E’ Festac Town, all in Lagos State. He was also an Assistant Commissioner of Police at the State Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Panti-Yaba, Lagos. He equally served at different times and in different capacities at Zone XI Police Headquarters, Oshogbo; State CID, Umuahia; Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi – Lagos; Force CID, Annex, Kaduna; amongst others.
8. DIG Frank has attended some of the finest Law Enforcement trainings, within and outside Nigeria. These include: Countering Violent Extremism and Police Leadership Course at the International Law Enforcement Academy, Roswell, New Mexico, USA (2018); Strategic Leadership and Command Course, Police Staff College, Jos (2017); Crisis and Disaster Management Course, Galilee International Management Institute, Israel (2013); Managing the Media in Crisis Situations, School of Media and Communications, Pan Atlantic University, Lagos (2013); International Visitors Leadership Program on International Crime Issues, Washington DC (2010); General Criminal Investigation Course at the International Law Enforcement Academy, Botswana (2009); Middle Management Course on Global Peace Operations in Vicenza, Italy (2008); amongst others.
9. He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR); Fellow, Chattered Institute of Local Government and Public Administration of Nigeria (CILGPAN); Fellow, Chattered Examiners of Criminology and Forensic Investigation Inc., USA (FCECFI); Member, International Institute of Certified Forensic Investigation Professionals, USA (CFIP); Member, FBI National Academy Associates Inc. (FBINAA); Member, The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS); amongst others.
10. Before his appointment as the DIG in charge of Research and Planning, he served as the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID), Lagos Annex, Alagbon, Ikoyi – Lagos
