The first female Assistant Inspector General of Police to head Zone 8, Lokoja, AIG Betty Isokpan Otimenyin, an indigene of Edo State, has officially resumed duty in Kogi State as the 34th AIG in charge of Kogi and Kwara States.
Speaking shortly after her resumption on Thursday, AIG Otimenyin expressed appreciation to the Inspector General of Police, Olatunde Disu, for the opportunity to supervise Zone 8.
She promised to consolidate on the good work she met on ground, particularly the efforts of the Commissioners of Police in Kogi and Kwara State Commands.
The new AIG pledged to work closely with stakeholders, traditional rulers, and community leaders to ensure the zone is rid of crime, cultism, kidnapping, and banditry.
“My office will work assiduously with everybody. We shall treat everyone equally and ensure that the zone is free of kidnapping and banditry. Criminals will be made to face the full wrath of the law,” she said.
According to her, security remains a collective responsibility and her administration will prioritize collaboration with other security agencies through the two state commands.
“The security architecture is already in place. My coming as the present AIG will only add value and build on what is already working,” she added.
Addressing recent attacks on schools in parts of Kogi State, AIG Otimenyin said Zone 8 will take proactive measures through school security initiatives.
She directed Divisional Police Officers in various communities to increase vigilance by regularly patrolling schools within their areas of jurisdiction.
“We will not allow our schools to become targets. DPOs must be on ground, visible, and responsive to any threat around schools,” she warned.
AIG Betty Isokpan Otimenyin makes history as the first female officer to head Zone 8 Command, which covers Kogi and Kwara States. She takes over as the 34th AIG of the zone.
Stakeholders have described her appointment as a boost to women representation in the Nigeria Police Force and a signal of the IGP’s commitment to inclusive policing.
She was received at the Zone 8 headquarters by the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command, CP Nazir Kankarfi, and other senior officers.
