CP Abiodun Alabi: Celebrating a Man of Immense Ability
So fast, six months have come and gone since the CP Sylvester Abiodun Alabi assumed responsibilities as the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Police. The indefatigable cop did not waste time bringing to bear his wealth of administrative prowess, operational excellence, and strategic leadership into the job. These skills were garnered from the several courses which he has attended over the years. This includes but not limited to the Junior Command Course, Intermediate Command Course, Leadership and Senior Management Course. Now he has justified the confidence of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Alkali Usman Baba on him within the space of half a year.
‘Omowale – the son has come home’ has been used at many community engagements to describe CP Alabi because he has spent many years of his stewardship as a police officer in Lagos with remarkable impacts to display. In April 2004, he became Squadron Commander of Police Mobile Force Squadron 43 Lagos (Diplomatic Protection Squadron) in charge of the security of all Embassies in Lagos.
After he was demobilised from the Police Mobile Force in June 2009 as a Chief Superintendent of Police, he was posted to Lion Building Divisional Headquarters as the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and later redeployed as the DPO of Ikeja Divisional Headquarters, Lagos respectively. The man possesses the professional ethic, prowess, and capacity to lead arguably the most significant State Command in the Nigeria Police.
His dedication to fulfilling the duty to protect law and order in the society is amazing. This is why he ensures that everyone who work with him are ready to do the job conscientiously and consciously. He tells everyone that ‘the Police is not a magician’. It is when the Police gets useful intelligence and information that it can step into action.
It is commonplace for Nigerians to think of the Police as a foe. This is why parents would scare their children with ‘I would call police for you’ when they offend. But the well-read Commissioner of Police, CP Alabi is disabusing the mind of Nigerians from such. In the same vein, he encourages the officers and men in Lagos State Command to be civil in their approach to duty. This is why Lagos has enjoyed peace and security under his watch.
The success in this first 6 months is also due to the unusual ability of CP Sylvester Abiodun Alabi to keep his team in one piece. This is unusual because perhaps due to what they have heard, many leaders (both in public and private sectors) tend to do what they call ‘restructure’ and bring up their own people ‘who they trust’ upon assumption of office. But it doesn’t always work.
CP Abiodun Alabi who holds a Masters in Sociology and a Bachelors degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (1989) and the University of Lagos (1986) respectively has his uncommon touch. In order to maintain the camaraderie and synergy, the great leader left all his officers and men in their respective positions. Alabi believes that every Police officer in Lagos are loyal to him, buy in to his policies, and will work towards the same goal as his. This has reposed uncommon confidence and trust in the officers and men which has made them to deliver awesomely.
His amiable quality stands him out. Police officers at the top and those in the rank and file often attest to his free-spirited nature. The members of various community based organizations like the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Community Development Committee/Associations (CDC/CDA), among others. The media have also found him to be a great ally in information dissemination. The media community have adjudged him as the most Media friendly commissioner of police. He is an empathic leader.
The former Commissioner of Police in Bauchi state has the knack for excellence in operations. He does not tolerate any form of disregard for the civil population among his men.
CP Sylvester Abiodun Alabi has swiftly built inter-agency partnership and collaboration. Within his first few weeks. For other security agencies in Lagos like Nigerian Army, Nigeria Airforce, NSCDC, FRSC, DSS, Immigration, Nigeria Customs, LNSA, LASTMA, among others, the CP Alabi has enjoyed a robust relationship which has tended to successes. The ban on okada operations in six LGAs and their adjoining LCDAs is a worthy testament to this harmonious relationship.
His uncommon show of trust has enabled the royal father of his community in Ekiti state to decorate him with a chieftaincy title.
It is sure that as the Ekiti-born Police chief continues on this path, there is more successes ahead of him as the Commissioner of Police in Lagos.
We at the National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP salute your result-oriented policing and management styles.
Congratulations sir, and many more fruitful months of accomplishments.
From all of Us @ NAOSNP.
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