By joshua First Female Aig To Head Zone 8 Assumes Duty, Pledges Crackdown On Kidnapping, Banditry In Kogi, Kwara
The first female Assistant Inspector General of Police to head Zone 8, AIG Betty Isokpan Otimenyin, has officially resumed duty in Lokoja as the 34th AIG in charge of Kogi and Kwara States.
AIG Otimenyin, an indigene of Edo State, took over on Thursday and was received at the Zone 8 Headquarters by the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command, CP Nazir Kankarfi, and other senior officers.
Speaking shortly after her resumption, the new AIG expressed appreciation to the Inspector General of Police, IGP Olatunde Disu, for the opportunity to supervise the zone. She pledged to build on the foundation laid by her predecessors, particularly the efforts of the Commissioners of Police in Kogi and Kwara Commands.
“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.
AIG Otimenyin promised to work closely with stakeholders, traditional rulers, and community leaders to rid the zone of crime, cultism, kidnapping and banditry. She stressed that security remains a collective responsibility and that 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.
The AIG also spoke on recent attacks on schools in parts of Kogi State, saying Zone 8 will take proactive measures through enhanced school security initiatives. She directed Divisional Police Officers across the zone to increase visibility and regular patrols around schools within their jurisdictions.
“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 lead Zone 8 Command, which covers Kogi and Kwara States.
Stakeholders have described her appointment as a major boost to women representation in the Nigeria Police Force and a clear signal of the IGP’s commitment to inclusive policing.