Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, and his Osun State counterpart, Kehinde Longe are among the 5,718 police officers elevated by the Police Service Commission (PSC) in a major promotion exercise.

The PSC approved the promotion of the officers, comprising both general duty and specialist cadres of the Force.

The Commission also approved the promotion of 12 Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIG); 19 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) to the substantive rank of Commissioners and 21 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) to the next rank of deputy commissioners. Thirty-three Chief Superintendents of Police (CSPs) were also elevated to assistant commissioners.

The spokesman for PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, said: 'The Commission further approved the promotion of 265 Superintendents of Police to Chief Superintendents; 59 deputy superintendents to superintendents and 4,750 assistant superintendents and another 146 assistant superintendents, omitted during the May 2022 promotion exercise, to deputy superintendents.

The PSC chairman charged the promoted officers to embrace a new policing culture, hinged on a people-friendly approach that respects fundamental rights of the citizens.

He also warned them to desist from involving themselves in civil matters or trumping up false allegations against the public, saying such conduct would not make them win the hearts and minds of the people.