CP Azare Makes Waves In Security Sector In A’Ibom State

…as Retired DCP Erabor’s Influence Still Lingers

By Saviour Ekpe

When Baba Muhammed Azare arrived as Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, many wondered how his leadership would shape the Command. Months later, both officers and community members say his sincerity, discipline, and liberal approach have begun to change the way the police are seen and how they serve.

At Itam Division, Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Emeka Ekebuike has taken the commissioner’s message to heart. He often tells his men that “policing must be people-centered” and urges them to operate with both firmness and compassion. In Ikot Ekpene, his counterpart CSP Uduak Ntuk echoes the same charge, pushing his officers to mirror Azare’s discipline and integrity in their daily duties.

The results are already evident. Residents in both communities recall recent acts of kindness by rank-and-file officers. Sergeant Tom Inyang of Ikot Ekpene Division, they say, quietly used his own money to feed inmates when resources ran low. At Itam Division, Woman Inspector Otobong Sunday did the same, ensuring detainees under her watch did not go hungry. For many, these small but powerful gestures reflect a new policing culture taking root under CP Azare’s leadership who for the first time in the state appointed about four women DPOs.

Still, when people in Itam talk about police discipline, one name continues to surface—Retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Francis Osagie Erhabor. Long before his retirement, Erhabor served as DPO in the community, leaving behind a legacy of honesty and accountability that residents still celebrate. “Most of the officers here are still following the legacies he left,” says Chief Ini Umoh, a respected community leader. Elder Nsima Etim agrees, adding, “He told us that sincerity and integrity can exist in the police, and many of them have never forgotten that.”

Their admiration deepened when Governor Pastor Umo Eno appointed Erhabor as Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Intelligence. Community members described the appointment as a divine reward for years of resilience, discipline, and an uncommon commitment to truth. “It shows that sincerity still pays,” Elder Etim remarked.

Today, as CP Azare sets new standards in Akwa Ibom policing and Erhabor continues to inspire even in retirement, residents say they see hope for a police force that is not only firm but also humane. “We are beginning to feel safer,” Mrs. Ini, a trader in Ikot Ekpene, said with a smile. “But more importantly, we now believe the police are listening to us.”

It is this mix of present action and enduring legacy—Azare’s reforms and Erhabor’s influence—that is gradually reshaping the story of policing in Akwa Ibom State.