A life of honour and service: Celebrating 35 years of meritorious policing – The pulling out of AIG Danjuma Aboki

Today, February 12, 2026, marks a remarkable milestone in the annals of the Nigeria Police Force — the celebration of 35 years of meritorious, disciplined, and honourable service by Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Danjuma Aboki. In Owerri, Imo State, he is ceremonially pulled out of active service, a revered tradition symbolizing dignity, gratitude, and the closing of a distinguished chapter. Simultaneously, he is conferred with a chieftaincy title by the Traditional Ruler of Mbaise — a cultural affirmation that honour earned in uniform transcends into community legacy.

AIG Danjuma Aboki embodies the rare blend of strength and gentility. Calm, unassuming, humble, and deeply respectful, he has always been, first and foremost, a devoted family man. Yet beyond the quiet disposition lies a resolute professional whose leadership stood firm in some of the most turbulent chapters of our nation’s internal security history.

Our paths first crossed in Katsina at MOPOL 27, where he served as my Unit Commander. Those were the turbulent years of the Shiite uprising — a period that tested courage, discipline, and command integrity. In those defining moments, I found in him not only a superior officer but a steady compass. His professionalism, tactical depth, and calm under pressure made our mandate both effective and eventful. Leadership, in its truest sense, was not loud in him — it was deliberate, thoughtful, and anchored in responsibility.

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The Holy Bible reminds us:

“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” — Proverbs 22:29

Indeed, diligence has lifted AIG Danjuma Aboki before kings and traditional institutions alike.

The Holy Qur’an equally affirms:

“And say, ‘Do [as you will], for Allah will see your deeds, and [so will] His Messenger and the believers.’” — Qur’an 9:105

Through decades of visible and unseen sacrifices, his deeds have spoken not merely to superiors, but to the communities he swore to protect.

His tenure as Commissioner of Police in Imo State came at a time of heightened security challenges. Yet, through strategic leadership, community engagement, and firm but measured policing, he restored confidence and operational stability. The encomiums, accolades, and public commendations that trail his exit are not ceremonial courtesies; they are earned tributes to competence and character.

Aristotle once wrote:

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

For 35 years, excellence was not occasional in AIG Aboki’s service , it was habitual.

In an era where public trust in institutions is continually tested, officers like AIG Danjuma Aboki become living proof that the Nigeria Police Force is indeed being rebranded not merely by policy reforms, but by the integrity of the men and women who wear the uniform with honour.

As he bows out of active service and steps into retirement, he does not retreat from relevance. Rather, he transitions into elder statesmanship  a custodian of experience, a mentor to rising officers, and now, a titled son of Mbaise. As Marcus Aurelius wisely observed:

“Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”

He has been one.

May retirement bring him the same peace he brought to troubled terrains. May the new title bestowed upon him be a symbol not only of honour received but of responsibility continued. And may history remember AIG Danjuma Aboki not merely as an officer who served, but as a gentleman who led.

Congratulations to a friend, a brother, a colleague  and above all, a distinguished servant of Nigeria.

Rtd DIG Zanna M Ibrahim, mni