9th April, 2022
By Mohammed Tijjani
Yekini Adio Ayoku has taken over as the 40th Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command and he went straight to work visiting trouble spots.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, said late Friday went to work, aware of the gravity of the task ahead of him.
Kaduna has been contending with a spate of terrorist attacks in rural communities, one of the latest being the attack on Abuja-Kaduna train.
Ayoku was posted by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Alkali Usman, to succeed Mudassiru Abdullahi.
“The new Commissioner of Police, Ayoku, today, April 8, 2022, assumed responsibility as the 40th Commissioner of Police to serve in Kaduna Command in this capacity.
“Having taken over the mantle of leadership, the hard-working CP Ayoku, knowing the gravity of the task ahead of him, immediately took his first official tour to Kaduna-Abuja road with a view to restoring public confidence and assuring them of their safety throughout the State.
He also visited the scene of the infamous incident of the attack on Abuja-Kaduna bound train to appreciate the “sacrifices of some of our gallant officers and sympathised with the victims and suggested the areas of improvement to forestall future occurrence.”
According to Jalige, the CP equally tasked officers and men of the command to get themselves ready for the task ahead as there is no room for laxity under his watch.
He said that criminals must not be allowed a free operating space wherever they may be.
The CP beckoned on the good people of the state to extend their good hands of fellowship to his administration as the task is not a one-man’s show.
“With the collective efforts of all stakeholders, the task though enormous, is absolutely surmountable,” Ayoku said.
Jalige said the new CP called for synergy amongst all the security architectures in the state as his doors remain always open to all and sundry in his quest to reduce violent crime to the barest minimum .
Jalige disclosed that the new CP hails from Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara.
He is also an alumnus of the University of Ilorin.
Ayoku was enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police in March 1990 and had his Cadet Officers’ training at the Police Academy Annex, Kaduna.
He has held several operational, investigative and administrative positions in the force since he graduated from the Academy and commissioned as an officer in October 1991.
In 1999, he was posted to the Police Mobile Force (PMF) and deployed to the State House Villa, Abuja, as Second in Command (2i/c) 24 PMF squadron, Presidential Guard and Escort and later the Commanding Officer of the squadron.
He was a member of the Nigeria Police Contingent to the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).
He was also appointed second in command of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit, Force Headquarters (FHQ), Abuja.
The new CP is a distinguished member of the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru-Jos.
Ayoku had attended many other professional and capacity building courses and workshops.
“The CP is privileged to have been a recipient of several awards and commendations for outstanding performance”, Jalige said.
“Notable among the awards are the Inspector General of Police sword of honour as the all-round best Cadet Officer of ASP Course 16/1990 at Police Academy Annex, Kaduna.
“Ayoku was also privileged to be decorated with United Nations Medal for Service in Kosovo and finally a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)”.