IGP Disu removes Hundeyin, appoints new Police Spokesman

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has approved the appointment of Deputy Commissioner of Police Anthony Okon Placid as the new Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) of the Nigeria Police Force.

The appointment was announced on Sunday in a statement issued by the outgoing Force spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

According to the statement, Placid, a seasoned officer with decades of service in the police, brings extensive experience spanning administration, operations, intelligence, training and international peacekeeping.

Born on December 2, 1970, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Placid 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 studied Law at the National Open University of Nigeria, where he pursued a Bachelor of Laws degree.

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

Over the years, he has attended several professional and international training programmes, including the United Nations Peace Operations Specialised Training (POST). He holds 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.

Throughout his career, Placid has served in several strategic roles within and outside Nigeria. His previous postings include Police Public Relations Officer in Adamawa State and at the Police Staff College in Jos.

He also served as Chief of Training for the African Union Mission in Sudan and later as Head of Training and Development at the United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur.

His other assignments include 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 also a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and serves as a Commonwealth Human Rights Trainer as well as an International Committee of the Red Cross trainer on International Humanitarian Law.

In December 2025, he completed the Senior Executive Course (SEC 47) at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies and was inducted as a Member of the National Institute (mni).

The newly appointed police spokesman is married with children and enjoys listening to music as well as playing football, basketball, table tennis and badminton.