Police DIG Frank Mba Retires After 34 Years Of Service

After more than three decades in the Nigeria Police Force, Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Frank Mba, has officially retired from active service after 34 years.

Mba, who served as the Deputy Inspector-General in charge of Training and Development, bowed out of the force on Friday, marking the end of a distinguished career that saw him rise through the ranks to become one of the most recognised officers in Nigerian policing.

His retirement comes amid recent leadership changes within the force following the exit of former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the appointment of Olatunji Disu as the new Inspector-General of Police.

Born in Lagos State and originally from Enugu State, Mba joined the Nigeria Police Force in 1992 as a cadet officer. He trained at the Nigeria Police Academy in Kano where he emerged as the best graduating cadet of his set.

Alongside his policing career, Mba built an impressive academic profile. He obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Lagos, proceeded to the Nigerian Law School where he was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002, and later earned a Master’s degree in Law with distinction from the University of Dundee in Scotland.

Throughout his career, Mba steadily progressed through the ranks of the force. He was promoted to Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1999, Deputy Superintendent of Police in 2003, Superintendent of Police in 2008, Chief Superintendent of Police in 2012, and Assistant Commissioner of Police in 2014.

He was later elevated to Deputy Commissioner of Police in 2018 and Commissioner of Police in December 2020. In March 2023, he was promoted to Assistant Inspector-General of Police before eventually attaining the rank of Deputy Inspector-General.

During his years of service, Mba handled several operational, investigative and administrative responsibilities across various commands.

He served as Area Commander in Ajah and Festac areas of Lagos State and later as Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, where he supervised policing and security operations.

At the Force Headquarters, he also served as Commissioner of Police in charge of the Border Patrol Force and later as Assistant Inspector-General of Police overseeing the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Panti, Lagos.

Mba became widely known across the country for his role in public communication, having served three different times as the National Spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force.

Internationally, he participated in peacekeeping operations between 2006 and 2007 as part of the Nigerian Police contingent to the United Nations Mission in Liberia, where he received the United Nations Medal for his service.

Over the years, he attended several professional and leadership programmes, including courses at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, as well as leadership programmes at Harvard University and the University of Oxford.

In his farewell remarks, Mba expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the opportunity to serve during the current administration.

He also thanked Nigerians for their support throughout his years in the force, describing policing as a difficult but noble profession.

“Policing is a difficult but noble profession, and whatever success we recorded was made possible by the understanding and support of Nigerians. I leave the service with a heart full of gratitude and pride for having had the opportunity to serve,” he said.