By Oki Samson
Contrary to misconceptions and negative impressions about the Nigeria Police, the Force boasts young, reputable, intelligent, and diligent officers who are making positive marks and winning laurels in different sectors of operation.
One of them is the fast-rising SP Matilda Umiah Ngbaronye who has become a Pride and positively promoting the good image of the Nigeria Police Force; Lagos State Command. She is adept in Public relations, Community engagements and Police operations.
She is currently the Divisional Police Officer of Ilupeju Division under Area F Police Command led by the Area Commander, ACP Bayo Sulaiman in Lagos State Command.
In quick succession, she has brought infrastructural facelift, manpower excellence, and improved knowhow to the officers and men in the Police division reputed to be one of the elitist areas of Lagos mainland, Ilupeju. Many personalities who have visited Ilupeju Police Division reported improved working conditions which include conducive office environment for officers, upgraded police cells for holding criminals, among other tremendous modifications.
In Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre and West Africa’s economic hub, SP Matilda Ngbaronye has enjoyed huge admiration for her leadership prowess, operational dexterity, and community relations acumen.
During the just concluded general elections in Lagos, the men and officers under her watch intercepted and arrested a gang of criminals who have stocked a cache of firearms with which they intend to disrupt the polls. This singular effort by Ilupeju Division to some degree ensured that Lagos State recorded the lowest incidences of election-related crimes and violence across the federation.
In 2022, it would also be recalled that her leadership capacity produced two calm and humane officers who despite being assaulted by some youths portrayed a high sense of civility and professionalism. In the viral video shared by their assailants, the officers were insulted, manhandled, and hounded by the goons yet refused to use maximum force which could have led to major damage or death.
A top government functionary, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Chieftaincy and Traditional Matters, Hon. Prince Bayo Osiyemi lauded the fine female officer, SP Matilda Umiah Ngbaronye. ‘One of the best police stations we have in Lagos and Nigeria is Ilupeju Division. I say things deliberately. The area deserves attention because it is an elite community. The elite don’t care much. Whatever is needed by your officers in the division should be provided.’
Perhaps tipping SP Ngbaronye for the top Police job of Inspector General of Police (IGP) later in her career, the Special Adviser recounted how the Ilupeju Division have produced some of the Police officers which have reached prime positions in the Force. ‘I doubt if you can find any other division in Lagos where you have officers who rose to IGP in this country beyond Ilupeju. Late Tafa Balogun served as DPO, late Abdullahi Kalto retired as DIG, Oyebade retired as AIG.’
The resourceful officer was enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on 19th April 2010. In this 13 years, SP Matilda Umiah Ngbaronye has demonstrated capacity and competence in every role where she has been deployed. Her unique perspective and proactive strategy has proven to yield gains in terms of recognition and credits. This includes the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) Best DPO of the Year 2022 and Miss Security Nigeria (MSN) Award of Excellence in Community Policing and Engagement among other local and international awards.
At various stages of her policing career, SP Matilda Umiah Ngbaronye was Deputy Police Public Relations Officer (DPPRO) Lagos State Police Command; Secretary to the former Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, AIG Hakeem Olusegun Odumosu (retd); the Crime Officer, Dolphin Estate Division, Ikoyi; General Investigation/Fingerprint Expert at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID Panti; and the Officer-in-Charge, Public Complainants Bureau, PCB.
A fine operational officer cum fantastic image maker, Matilda Umiah Ngbaronye has attended various policing courses to boost her knowledge in protection of internal security and curbing crimes and criminality. These include the Advanced Detective Course (ADC), Human Rights Protection Course among other courses both within and outside Nigeria.
While most of her policing career has spanned the Lagos State Police Command, Matilda Ngbaronye had a stint of peacekeeping operation in the international scene. She was deployed to the African Union Mission (AMISOM) in war-torn Somalia. There, she made the country proud and excelled as the Public Information Officer (PIO).
Praising the efforts of SP Matilda Ngbaronye in April 2023, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos Command, CP Idowu Owohunwa restated his happiness. ‘Since people in Ilupeju have commended you, I want you to go and do well in other places so keep up the good job. Once I have resources to enhance your operational efficiency, I will prioritize you. There comes a time when an officer should be defined by his strength of character, it is better to be condemned for the right reason than praised for the wrong reason.’
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