THE Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has appointed Anthony Okon Placid as the new Force Public Relations Officer, replacing Benjamin Hundeyin.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the police headquarters in Abuja.
Placid, a deputy commissioner of police, is described as a seasoned officer with experience in administration, operations, intelligence, training and international peacekeeping.
Born on December 2, 1970, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, he hails from Mbiokporo Nsit in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area of the state.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography and Regional Planning from the University of Uyo and a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the University of Jos. He also obtained a Bachelor of Law degree from the National Open University of Nigeria.
According to the statement, Placid joined the police as a cadet assistant superintendent at the Nigeria Police Academy in 1996 and was commissioned in August 1998.
He has attended several professional and international courses, including the United Nations Peace Operations Specialised Training, with certifications in police studies, military studies, gender awareness, international humanitarian law, human rights and civilian protection. He also completed the UNITAR senior leadership and peacebuilding course in Kenya.
The statement noted that he had served in several roles within and outside Nigeria, including police public relations officer in Adamawa State and at the Police Staff College, Jos; chief of training with the African Union Mission in Sudan; and head of training and development with the United Nations Mission in Darfur.
He also served as divisional police officer in Federal Housing Calabar, Bakassi, Uruan and Gembu; officer-in-charge of the anti-robbery unit in Kaduna State; African Union election security adviser; assistant commissioner of police (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.
Placid is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and a Commonwealth human rights trainer, as well as a trainer on international humanitarian law for the International Committee of the Red Cross.
He is also a graduate of the Senior Executive Course (SEC 47) of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, where he was inducted as a Member of the National Institute (mni) on December 13, 2025.
Earlier, The ICIR reported that Hundeyin had been removed as Force Public Relations Officer before the appointment of his replacement.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.