KEY POINTS

• Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu has appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police Anthony Placid as the new Force Public Relations Officer.

• Placid replaces Benjamin Hundeyin and brings extensive experience in policing, intelligence, training, and international peacekeeping operations.

• The seasoned officer has held several strategic positions in Nigeria and internationally, including roles with the African Union and United Nations missions.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has approved the appointment of Deputy Commissioner of Police Anthony Placid as the new Force Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force. Placid replaces Benjamin Hundeyin, who previously served as the spokesperson for the force.

The announcement was made in a statement issued at the Force Headquarters in Abuja by Hundeyin, who signed the statement in his capacity as the outgoing Force Public Relations Officer.

Anthony Placid brings several years of policing experience to the new position. According to the statement, he has served in various capacities across administration, operations, intelligence, training, and international peacekeeping missions.

Born on December 2, 1970, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Placid hails from Mbiokporo Nsit in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area of the state.

Academic and professional background

Placid holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography and Regional Planning from the University of Uyo. He later obtained a Master of Arts degree in Law and Diplomacy from the University of Jos.

In addition, he studied law at the National Open University of Nigeria where he earned a Bachelor of Laws degree.

His professional training includes several specialised international courses, including the United Nations Peace Operations Specialised Training programme. Through these courses, he gained certification in police studies, military studies, gender awareness, international humanitarian law, human rights, and civilian protection.

Placid joined the Nigeria Police Force in 1996 as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police at the Police Academy in Kano and was formally commissioned in August 1998.

Over the course of his career, he has held several strategic positions within the police force and in international organisations.

He previously served as Police Public Relations Officer in Adamawa State and at the Police Staff College in Jos. He also worked internationally as Chief of Training for the African Union Mission in Sudan and as Head of Training and Development for the United Nations Mission in Darfur.

Within Nigeria, Placid served as Divisional Police Officer in several locations including Federal Housing in Calabar, Bakassi, Uruan, and Gembu. He also worked as Officer-in-Charge of the Anti-Robbery Unit in Kaduna State.

Other roles include serving as African Union Election Security Adviser, Assistant Commissioner of Police for Operations in Akwa Ibom and Kogi States, Assistant Commissioner of Police in the Intelligence Department in Abia State, and Deputy in charge of Administration and Finance at Zone 3 Headquarters in Yola.