Parental responsibility key to child devt, national growth – IGP Disu

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has stressed the importance of parental guidance in child development and national growth, describing parents as the first teachers of their children.

Disu expressed concern over what he described as increasing domestic neglect, saying some parents had “abdicated that role to school teachers.”

The police chief spoke in Port Harcourt during the presentation and launch of Origin of Policewomen in Nigeria, a book authored by retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dame Okuyiga.

He said the event was more than a literary gathering, describing it as an opportunity to recognise the contributions of women who helped establish and develop the Nigeria Police Force.

“The occasion is more than a book launch, but a celebration of courage, service, and the remarkable women whose pioneering effort helped shape the Nigerian Police Force,” he said.

Reflecting on the challenges faced by the first female police officers, Disu said their determination and resilience paved the way for subsequent generations.

“Those early officers showed competence, determination, and resilience, opened doors for the generation that followed, and remain a lesson to every girl that a dream can become reality.”

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The IGP recalled an account shared by the author about the uncertainty surrounding the recruitment of women into the police during the colonial era.

“I remember Mama told me that when they became the first set of women police, the then Inspector General of Police told them that it was an experiment. If they failed, they would stop recruiting women police into the Nigeria Police Force. But from that time that they were recruited to today, there has not been a stoppage in the recruitment of women police. It shows Mama and her team’s impact,” Disu remarked.

He noted that female officers had expanded their roles beyond administrative and traffic duties to include criminal investigations, intelligence, tactical operations and strategic management.

“Women officers have moved beyond administrative and traffic duties into criminal investigations, intelligence, tactical operations, specialist policing, and strategic management. Most of my Area Commanders in Lagos are women police,” he revealed.

He added that their achievements demonstrated the importance of inclusion in building a stronger and more responsive police force.

The IGP pledged to sustain efforts to ensure that officers had opportunities for career advancement based on merit and professionalism.

He also paid tribute to Okuyiga, recalling their interactions when he served as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and her determination to update and publish the book.

“Ma, yours is a very, very remarkable story, a story of courage, dedication, and enduring service. When I was Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, I met Mama and I found that she already had a book. She had the desire to update it and launch it. And whenever I saw her or whenever I spoke with her on the phone, I would ask her, Mama, when are you going to launch that book?’ She would smile and say, ‘I will launch it when my son becomes the IG and today your son is now an IGP”, he shared.

Also speaking, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Dagogo Wokoma, said the history of female police officers demonstrated that professionalism, discipline, courage and commitment to public service were not determined by gender.

Wokoma said the experiences documented in the book should encourage younger generations, particularly women, to pursue leadership positions and contribute to national development through law enforcement and other fields.

He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting security agencies, noting that security remained essential to peace, economic growth and public welfare.

“As a government, we recognise the importance of security to peace, economic growth, and the well-being of the people.”