Fact-Check: Is CP Hauwa Ibrahim the First Female Police Commissioner from Northern Nigeria?
A claim has been circulating on social media platforms, particularly Twitter (formerly X) and Instagram, that the recently promoted Commissioner of Police (CP), Hauwa Ibrahim, is the first female Commissioner of Police from Northern Nigeria. A Kano-based online newspaper also reported, “She is the first female northerner appointed as a Commissioner of Police.”
Verification:
PRNigeria conducted a fact-check using keyword searches and independent investigations to verify this claim. The findings revealed that several female police officers from Northern Nigeria had previously attained the rank of Commissioner of Police (CP) and even higher positions.
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- AIG Farida Waziri:
Farida Waziri,a prominent figure in Nigerian policing, was enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force in 1965/1966. She rose to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) and served as the Commissioner of Police for the Special Fraud Unit. She achieved Nigeria’s first-ever conviction for Advance Fee Fraud during her tenure. Waziri later became the Chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), further cementing her legacy in law enforcement. - AIG Aisha Abubakar Baju:
Another notable northern female police officer is AIG Aisha Abubakar Baju from Taraba State, popularly known as Sarauniyar Mambila. Born 1971 in Adamawa State, she graduated with a Veterinary Medicine (DVN) degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1994. She joined the Nigeria Police Force as an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in 1995 and was promoted to Commissioner of Police in 2016. Baju also earned a Ph.D. from the University of Plymouth in 2007. She later rose to Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in 2020, having served as Commissioner of Police and Head of the Nigeria Police Force Animal Branch, Abuja. - AIG Rhoda Adetutu Olofun:
AIG Rhoda Adetutu Olofun, hailing from Okene in Kogi State, is another senior female police officer of northern extraction. Like Waziri and Baju, she attained the rank of Commissioner of Police before being elevated to the position of Assistant Inspector General of Police. She is currently the Force Secretary.
Findings:
The officers mentioned above were all promoted to Commissioner of Police before Hauwa Ibrahim’s recent elevation. Notably, DIG Aisha Abubakar Baju was explicitly recognised as the first female Commissioner of Police from Northern Nigeria, as documented by The Abusites, a blog dedicated to Ahmadu Bello University alumni and affiliates.
Conclusion:
The claim that CP Hauwa Ibrahim Jibrin is the first female Commissioner of Police from Northern Nigeria is misleading. Investigations reveal that there were female Commissioners of Police from Northern Nigeria before her, including AIG Farida Waziri, AIG Aisha Baju, and AIG Rhoda Adetutu Olofun.
However, CP Hauwa Ibrahim might be the first female Commissioner of Police from Kano State.
By PRNigeria
