The Police Service Commission has appointed Banji Lawal, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Border Patrol at Force Headquarters, Abuja, as the new Deputy Inspector General representing the South-West geopolitical zone.
This appointment was announced in a statement by the PSC’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani.
According to the statement, Lawal’s appointment was confirmed during an extraordinary session held on Friday.
Lawal replaces DIG Sylvester Alabi, who represented the South-West zone before retiring on December 31, 2024. Alabi previously served as the DIG in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department.
The newly appointed DIG has an extensive career in the police force, including roles such as Commandant of the Police Training College in Ikeja, Lagos; Assistant Commissioner of Operations in Ekiti, Abia, and Edo State Commands; and Area Commander in Uyo.
He has also served as Deputy Commissioner of Operations in Nasarawa and Akwa Ibom States, Deputy Commissioner for Finance and Administration at ICT Force Headquarters in Abuja, and Deputy Registrar of the Central Criminal Registry in Lagos. Additionally, he was Deputy Commandant at the Police Academy in Kano and Commissioner of Police for General Investigation at the Force CID.
The PSC statement highlighted that Lawal appeared before the commission in a plenary session attended by key officials, including the Chairman DIG Hashimu Argungu (Rtd), retired Supreme Court Justice Paul Adamu Galumje, and DIG Taiwo Lakanu (Rtd).
During his appearance, Lawal underwent both written and oral examinations and praised the success of the Nigeria Police Force’s Community Policing programme. “The programme is succeeding and has achieved a lot so far,” Lawal stated.
The PSC Chairman congratulated Lawal on his promotion and encouraged him to contribute effectively to the Police Management Team.
