Former Commissioner Of Police Commends Editor For Writing Book On “Crime Beat Reporting In Nigeria”

By Doreen Ogboku

A retired Commissioner of Police and currently a security consultant, Chief Innocent Chibuike Okeanonife on Monday played host to the Editor-in-Chief, Atlanticnewsonline, Mr. Frank Oshanugor at the Lekki headquarters of Amala Security Company; commending the journalist for writing a 335-page book on Crime Beat Reporting in Nigeria.

The Editor had gone to officially present a copy of the book which was publicly launched in March, 2026 at Lagos Airport Hotel to the police former boss who is now the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Amala Security Company, a 21st Century man-guarding and consulting outfit.

Chief Okeanonife who retired a few years ago from the Nigeria Police Force after serving in different capacities, noted with a benefit of hindsight, the activities of crime reporters for years while in police service, imagined the strenuous effort Oshanugor must have made to write the book.

Having gone through portions of the book, the former Commissioner summarized that “this book is a landmark in crime beat reporting in Nigeria. It fills a long existing gap in the field and will be of immense benefit to students of journalism or mass communication in our tertiary institutions and zzcalso to practicing journalists.”

The highly cerebral former officer who had attended several police related top management and operational courses in foreign countries while in service and holds degrees in different disciplines including Law; recalled with some feeling of admiration, his relationship with the Atlanticnewsonline Editor-in-Chief back in the days

at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon Close when Oshanugor was publishing SECURITY EXPRESS, a specialized magazine on the crime beat.

Okeanonife, as at then Assistant Commissioner of Police was in charge of X-Squad at the FCID annex, Alagbon Close. He lauded the author for being steadfast in his chosen profession of journalism particularly with respect to the coverage of crime and security related matters.

He has therefore encouraged members of the public who want to know more about how crime stories are reported, to avail themselves of the book.