DIG Frank Mba Bows Out After 34 Years in Police

Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Frank Mba has voluntarily retired from the Nigeria Police Force after 34 years of exemplary service. This development, announced amid ongoing leadership changes, follows the appointment of Assistant Inspector-General Tunji Disu as Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

Career Highlights

Mba began his career as an Inspector and rose steadily through the ranks, becoming Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1999, Superintendent in 2008, Commissioner of Police in 2020, and DIG in 2023. He served three times as Force Public Relations Officer, redefining police communication with clarity and professionalism during national crises, and held key roles like Commissioner in Ogun State and head of the Force Criminal Investigations Department Annex in Lagos.

His international service included a UN Peacekeeping Mission in Liberia (2006-2007), earning him a UN Medal. Born October 9, 1971, in Enugu State, Mba—a law graduate—was overseeing Training and Development at Force Headquarters at retirement.

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Context of Retirement

The retirement aligns with police traditions where senior officers from the same or senior courses to a new IGP step aside, affecting about 29 officers including Mba following Disu’s elevation. Though his statutory retirement was due May 18, 2027, Mba opted for voluntary exit now.

Some reports described it as compulsory due to the transition after former IGP Kayode Egbetokun’s departure, but official narratives emphasize voluntary bowing out.

Tributes and Legacy

The Civic Alliance for Security Accountability (CASA) lauded Mba as a “scholar-practitioner” whose integrity and intellectual depth set policing benchmarks. Observers note his exit preserves institutional memory while paving way for reforms under Disu, ratified by the Police Council.