Lagos State, referred to as the Centre of Excellence and the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, has always been the coveted state of many Commissioners of Police, including other senior police officers. It is a state that can make or mar the career of any policeman. Aside from the fact that the Lagos State Government makes it a point of duty to assist the command financially, thus paving the way for them to work and sparkle, it also a state that has tons of influential Nigerians and politicians, with many of these officers meeting and rubbing shoulders with the mighty in the state.
Thus, whenever there’s a vacancy in the Lagos State Police Command, the highest of lobby for the office begins. Many senior policemen, who think they fit the bill run to the Inspector-General of Police or to the IG’s friends and still others dash to their political godfathers, crawling and begging them to speak with the IG on their behalf.
Hence, when the promotion of the former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police was announced, the lobbying for the leadership of the Lagos State Police Command started in earnest. It was gathered that many CPs keenly pursued the seat, but many fell by the wayside. It was also further learnt that three policemen made the last three standing for the plum job. They were Hakeem Odumosu, Galadashi Dasuki and the incumbent Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Lagos State Command, Mohammed Ari.
Amongst the three, Ari actually stood a better chance of winning the game, not just because he has worked with three CPs in Lagos as their Head of Operations, doing the dirtiest and toughest job, but also because he was a born natural operations officer and knows the terrain of Lagos, having worked in different parts of the state. Aside from his dedication to duty, most rank and file and security stakeholders in Lagos speak highly of him. According to sources, Ari was knocked out of the game because he was not yet a CP, although his promotion to that rank is just a threshold away. It was gathered that the IGP, Mohammed Adamu, had repeatedly said he would never entertain any senior police below the expected rank of a CP to man any command.
Then comes in Odumosu, who also knows the terrain of the state and said to be the blue eyed boy of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It will be recalled that during the administration of Imohimi Egal as the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tinubu had allegedly tried to install one of his “boys” in the Force, Kayode Egbetokun, as the number one policeman in the state, but that political move didn’t work, leading to the ushering in of Muazu.
When some senior policemen heard that Odumosu was in the race, they had just given a sarcastic laughter and stated that it was already a done deal. Our correspondent gathered from sources that Odumosu and Tinubu, had at a point fallen out, but it apparently had been settled.
On Thursday, Odumosu and other policemen were cleared by the Police Service Commission in Abuja to take over their commands and duties. On Friday, Odumosu assumed duty as the Lagos State Commissioner of Police. Odumosu is taking over from Muazu, who was posted to the Force Headquarters in Abuja as AIG Counter Terrorism Unit.
Odumosu holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Bachelor of Law degree and Master’s Degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution from the National Open University of Nigeria. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Lagos State University. Others include: Post Graduate Diploma in Security Management and Operations, Advanced Diploma in Law Enforcement Administration and Higher Diploma in Terrorism Studies from the University of Lagos and Post Graduate Diploma in Public Relations and Marketing from the Nigeria Institute of Journalism.
He enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on March 3, 1990 as Cadet ASP and rose through the ranks. It is worthy of note that Odumosu has vast experience in operations, investigations and administration. He started his policing career as Operations Officer in Isokoko, Ketu and Satellite Divisions as well as Area D Command, Mushin, Lagos. He was the Chairman, Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences, Governor’s Office, Alausa, Ikeja. He equally served as the Officer in Charge, Pensions Office in Edo and Ogun States. He was in charge of Research and Planning Department, Kaduna State Command.
Odumosu was one time Commander, Rapid Response Squad, Lagos State Command and Area Commander, Akwanga, Nasarawa State. He was Assistant Commissioner of Police Operations, Western Ports Authority Command, Lagos and Area Commander, Agodi Area Command, Oyo State. He was Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations (FEDOPS) and Deputy Commissioner of Police Administration, Department of Operations, Force Headquarters Abuja. He was Commissioner of Police, Department of Research and Planning and Commissioner of Police (Inspectorate), Department of Training and Development, Force Headquarters Abuja.
He served as the Commissioner of Police, Edo State and later Commissioner of Police, Finance and Administration, Department of Operations, Force Headquarters Abuja.
He was a member and Head of Enforcement Unit of the Presidential Taskforce on the Restoration of Law and Order on Apapa gridlock, Lagos.
Odumosu belongs to various professional bodies. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administration and a fellow of the International Institute of Professional Security. He is an active member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and a member of the Institute of Public Administration of Nigeria. He is a multiple awards winner.
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