The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has yet to appoint a substantive Force Public Relations Officer following the removal of Benjamin Hundeyin as spokesperson of the Nigerian Police Force.
Hundeyin, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, was reportedly removed from the role less than six months after he assumed office in September 2025.
Sources at the Force Headquarters in Abuja who spoke with Sahara Reporters disclosed that the removal occurred amid internal restructuring within the police hierarchy shortly after Disu’s appointment as the 23rd Inspector-General of Police by President Bola Tinubu.
The sources said discussions on a replacement are ongoing, but no formal appointment has been announced.
Earlier reports had suggested that Chief Superintendent of Police Aliyu Giwa might be named the next Force Public Relations Officer.
Giwa previously served as Assistant Force Public Relations Officer at the police annex in Obalende, Lagos, between 2017 and 2022 and currently works as a cybersecurity specialist at the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre.
However, insiders said Giwa has not been appointed to the position and is presently responsible only for handling the police’s social media operations.
“The Police Force PRO has not been appointed yet. Aliyu Giwa is limited to social media operations and also, a DCP will be appointed to that position,” a senior police source said.
According to sources familiar with the development, the Force Public Relations Officer is typically expected to hold the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police, in line with the structure of the force’s communications department.
They said the process of selecting a suitable officer for the position is still ongoing.
The sources also alleged that some individuals were attempting to influence the decision by promoting certain narratives online.
“By virtue of Giwa’s current position, he is close to bloggers, so he is trying to use them to force Disu to appoint him. That explains the reports you see online,” the source added.
Hundeyin, before his appointment as Force spokesperson, served as the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command.
As of the time of filing this report, the police authorities had yet to issue an official statement announcing a new Force Public Relations Officer, leaving the position effectively vacant.
