Policemen in Lagos Command have applauded the promotion of the State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, describing him as an officer with rare qualities in crime fighting.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, was among the 12 Commissioners of Police promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police by the Police Service Commission.
In what seems like an unusual occurrence when a CP is promoted or transferred, the policemen who randomly spoke with Naijapoliceu insist that he led them with a human face. Describing his elevation as well-deserved, a divisional police officer in the state said that they were initially worried when he was posted to Lagos. “Crime fighting in Lagos is a serious business, and if you do not have an experienced hand as the CP, things will go wrong. We have known him over the years as an administrative person and were waiting for him to fail.
“The reverse was the case; he is humble and listens. If you judge him from a distance, you will call him arrogant. Oga Idowu cannot send you out to investigate a case without ensuring that logistics are in place. Just do your job and do it right. Even if people try to intimidate you by rushing to him, that person will fail. He will address the matter on its merit. I will surely miss him; no one is under pressure except in crime fighting.”
One of the heads of the command’s tactical unit described him as an honest man.
“We have constant power supply in our offices without dropping a kobo. In the past, once they took light, the responsibility was on the section heads to make provision for any alternative power supply. But since he came to Lagos, CP will order that they power the big generator to take care of everyone. He is a true leader with a human face. He can never send you out on patrol without making sure that there is fuel in your vehicle. He is a great man and will be missed by officers.”
Hammering on what he described as his achievements, the officer dared the PRO to publish his record. “I am not holding a brief for him, but the fact remains that he is a silent achiever. We have cracked so many hard cases and recovered so many arms. We only hear of incidents, but I guess you are not aware that those criminals will eventually be arrested. He is good, and I thank God for his promotion.”
Another senior officer described him as an angel in the police uniform: “peaceful, caring, humble, and policing with a human face. I was stressed one day, and I tried my best to hide it. Oga Idowu asked me to please go and sit down and take a break. Even during this hard time, he made provisions. He visited my office and gave me a letter of recommendation. I have never met a CP in my history of this job who has done half of what he did to encourage officers. If you get to his office, he will ask you to sit down. If you are working, he will continue to encourage and commend you. He has achieved a lot, so soft. Lagos will miss me. I will miss him.
“He is the only commissioner of police that I know who did not come to Lagos to make money. During our stakeholder meeting, he will make provision for entertainment without asking for a dime from any officer, and he has been consistent. We will surely miss him.”
Not left out are the rank and file, who insist that he made policing work easy. An inspector attached to the Ketu police division said, “Just don’t do the wrong thing because he will never support or cover up for you. I joined the Nigerian police, and this is the first CP that I served who cares about the welfare of all, not just his boys. I am shocked that he did so well. We were waiting for him to fail, but the reverse is the case. Don’t believe me; go and ask questions. He is a great man, and we will surely miss him.”
AIG Idowu Owohunwa hails from Kabba, Kogi State, and was commissioned into the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet Officer (Course 19/1996) on August 15, 1996, after graduating with a Second-Class Upper Division Degree from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.
