You probably have read everything about the Conference And Retreat For Senior Police Officers, CARSPO, which held in Owerri, Imo State from Monday September 21 to Wednesday September 23, 2026, with the theme “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections.” In this special report, CHARLES NWAGBARA brings you inside gist no one ever told you. Come along…
BETWEEN IGP TUNJI DISU AND RETIRED SENIOR POLICE OFFICERS
Since the inception of CARSPO, no other edition has attracted so many retired police officers like CARSPO 2026. Two former Inspectors General, IGP Mike Okiro rtd, and IGP Usman Baba Alkali rtd, were in Owerri from the beginning till the event ended. Both retired IGPs also had the opportunity to address the senior police officers gathering and you could see the gathering so attentive as the men who led before outlined how they did it and the challenges they faced. There were also retired AIGs Ausin Iwah, Olafimihan Adeoye, Christopher Owolabi, retired CP Fatai Owoseni and Ahmed Bello rtd. Apart from having them as resource persons, the general assessment was that IGP Tunji Disu was in firm touch with his roots. Their presence showed that Disu is a man who drinks from the cups of wisdom of those with the experience in the office he occupies. Interestingly, IGP Disu was commander of the RRS and worked under CP Fatai Owoseni rtd, who was then Lagos State command CP. Interestingly too, CARSPO first came to Owerri, Imo State during the tenure of IGP Usman Baba Alkali, rtd.
ABOUT IGP TUNJI DISU’S ELECTION COMPLAINTS LINE
Just to show you how serious IGP Tunji Disu is taking the 2027 general elections, he has already designed an important office to monitor the campaigns, election proper and any fall out from the elections. At the 2026 CARSPO, the IGP announced that the Nigeria Police Force would launch an official PUBLIC ELECTION COMPLAINTS LINE on October 12, 2026, ahead of the 2027 general elections. The line(s) will be used to monitor police personnel against taking sides in the political process.
Disu warned that officers found harassing voters, colluding with political actors, abusing police powers or otherwise compromising the neutrality of the Force would be held accountable. The line will also be used to monitor political violence, voter intimidation, vote-buying and other electoral offences. The IGP said he wants the Police to maintain public confidence throughout the electoral process.
CARSPO 2026: GOVERNOR HOPE UZODIMMA’S HAT-TRICK
Since it’s inception in 2019, CARSPO has been held once in Lagos State, once in Akwa Ibom State, once in Ogun State and THREE times in Imo State, all under Governor Hope Uzodimma’s support. While welcoming the police top brass and all participants to Owerri, Governor Uzodimma said his government’s partnership with the Nigeria Police had helped in curbing the enormous security challenges he inherited in the state. He particularly referenced the security situation in the state in 2021 and how he partnered with the Police and other security agencies to make Imo peaceful and prosperous again. While we are on those who hold records in the annals of CARSPO, outside Gov. Uzodimma, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom state on Brand Management and Marketing, Mr Raphael Edem, is one such record holder. Raphael Edem has worked on the CARSPO team for consecutive five years as the master of ceremony.
BETWEEN LAGOS CP AND FCT CP
Remember Nkem Nwankwo’s novel, “My Mercedes is bigger than Yours?” Well, that kind of argument arose among the top journalists who covered CARSPO 2026 in Owerri. The journalists from Abuja insisted that FCT CP was Nigeria’s CP 1. The argument was that CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi’s constituency included the Presidency, National Assembly, Supreme Court, diplomatic missions, embassies and many other critical national institutions. FCT also serves as the headquarters of Police Zone 7, which covers FCT and Niger State. In summary, FCT CP is Mr. President’s official CP.
But the Lagos journalists will not have any of that argument. They maintained that CP Fatai Tijani the Lagos CP was Nigeria’s CP 1. According to them, CP Fatai Tijani has more men under his command, he has more citizens under his jurisdiction. He also hosts the popular Zone 2 command. And to crown it all, he is Mr. President’s own state CP. Who do you think should win this debate?
DID ANYONE EAT THE FAMOUS “OFE OWERRI”?
Let me paraphrase the last paragraph of Gov. Uzodimma’s welcome address at the opening ceremony of CARSPO at the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Conference Centre, Owerri. “In the evening, when you have the time, please enter the town and try our famous “ofe Owerri”. It was a tempting invite, but IGP Tunji Disu had other plans. He made that move practically impossible. The senior police officers were held down in the conference from 9am each day till 9pm. Lectures, master classes, question and answer sessions ended at 7pm daily. Then, the sumptuous dinner and the group drive to the various accommodations. No one had the energy to go AWOL. Well, we didn’t investigate….
SHINA PHILIPS AND LENDERS CONSULT CLEARLY NIGERIA’S BIGGEST EVENT ORGANIZERS
That CARSPO is organized by the Nigeria Police Force in partnership with the Dr. Shina Philips-led Lenders Consult International, is not news. What is news is that every edition gets more better than the previous one. From coordination of logistics, the organization of the faculty and even the arrangement of the conference and retreat, everything was top notch. Dr. Shina and his C.O.O, Pastor Nelson Olafisoye and the entire crew assisted the IGP in a way that one will believe they took time to rehearse all the movements. But this is not a surprise to those who know because Lenders Consult International are not new to big events. The company has been the ones behind the Pitch Awards, the longest running sport awards in Nigeria today.
