The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu has said the Nigeria Police Force will build on its past successes in election security to ensure a peaceful, credible and violence-free general election in 2027.
Disu made the pledge after attending the launch of “The Origin of Women in Nigeria Police Force,” a book by 96-year-old retired Deputy Commissioner Stella Okuyiga, one of the first 20 women to join the force in 1955.
He said the police had recently held a conference with commissioners and senior officers nationwide to review lessons from recent elections.
“We brought all these experiences together—where we did well and where we did not do well—so that we can perform better in this big election,” he said.
Disu praised Okuyiga for documenting the history of women in policing.
He said the force would distribute copies of the book to police training institutions so future officers can learn from her experience.
He described the launch as a celebration of courage and service, noting that the women who joined in 1955 faced limited opportunities but succeeded through determination and resilience.
Okuyiga said she was pleased that her story would endure.
“This book will be in libraries all over the world, and they’ll be reading it,” she said, adding, “I will continue to live forever.”
Governor of Rivers State Siminalayi Fubara, represented by Secretary to the State Government Dagogo Wokoma, said the book preserves the contributions of pioneering female officers and shows that professionalism and public service transcend gender.
He launched the book with a donation of 20 million naira.
Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Aishatu Abubakar, the force’s gender adviser, said women bring valuable skills to modern policing, including intelligence work and community engagement in cases involving kidnapping, terrorism and sexual violence.
Disu said policing alone cannot secure the country.
Families, communities and the police must work together to instill discipline and uphold the law, he added.
