Niger gets new police commissioner as Elleman retires

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the posting of Salisu Fago as the new Commissioner of Police, Niger State, following the retirement of his predecessor, Adamu Elleman.

In a statement issued on Monday, the PSC said the approval followed an interview conducted by its Standing Committee on Police Matters, chaired by retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Taiwo Lakanu.

Mr Lakanu represented the Chairman of the Commission, Hashimu Argungu, during the exercise.

The PSC chairman urged the incoming commissioner to remain politically neutral and develop effective strategies, including intelligence-led and community-based policing, to combat crime and maintain peace and security in Niger State.

About the new CP

Mr Fago enlisted in the Nigeria Police Force on 10 June 1994 as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Criminal Management and Policy (MCMP).

He is also a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and has attended several professional courses, including the Advanced Intelligence Detective Course, Police Mobile Force Commanders Training Course and Tactical Leadership Command Course.

With over 30 years of operational and administrative experience, his previous assignments include Officer-in-Charge of the State Intelligence Bureau in Kano and Katsina commands; Assistant Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, Katsina; and Assistant Commissioner of Police, Operations, in Delta and Maiduguri.

He also served as Commanding Officer of the 6 Police Mobile Force in Maiduguri and the 52 Police Mobile Force in Chalawa, Kano, before his deployment as Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Finance and Administration, Zamfara State Command.

Profile of outgoing commissioner

Mr Elleman, who served as the 38th Commissioner of Police in Niger State, joined the Nigeria Police Force on 25 June 1994 as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police.

He hails from Kaugama Local Government Area, Jigawa State, and has more than 31 years of experience in law enforcement.

He holds a Diploma in Law, an LL.B degree and a Master of Laws (LL.M) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He also attended the Nigerian Law School in Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar.

His professional development includes training at the Police Staff College, Jos, and the National Institute of Police Studies, Abuja, as well as specialised courses in the United States, the United Kingdom and South Africa.

Before his deployment to Niger State in March 2025, Mr Elleman served in several strategic positions within the police and other government institutions.

His career included service as Officer-in-Charge of Legal and Prosecution and General Investigation in Taraba State between 1996 and 1999, and Officer-in-Charge of Anti-Car Theft in the Federal Capital Territory in 2002.

He was also the pioneer Head of Operations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2003, Staff Officer in the Force Secretary’s Office in 2007, and Director of Intelligence, Investigation and Enforcement at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in 2009.

Other positions he held included Officer-in-Charge of the Special Investigation Unit at the Force Criminal Investigation Department in 2015, Head of the Inspector-General of Police Monitoring Unit in 2019 and 2023, and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja, in 2021.

In 2024, he served as Deputy Commissioner of Police, Administration and Finance, Jigawa State Command, before becoming Commissioner of Police in charge of Maritime, Lagos, a position he held until March 2025.

Mr Elleman assumed duty as the Niger State Commissioner of Police in March 2025, taking over from AIG Shawulu Ebenezer Danmamman, who was promoted and redeployed to a higher office.

During his tenure, he emphasised intelligence-led policing, operational efficiency and collaboration between the police and communities in addressing insecurity.

He also called on residents, traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders to support the police with timely information to strengthen security and protect lives and property.

His retirement now paves the way for Mr Fago to take charge of the state’s police command.