IGP Disu Hosts Crime Reporters, Commends Atlanticnewsonline Editor-in-Chief Over Book

By Doreen Ogboku

Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu on Saturday upscaled his long standing relationship with Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN) as he took time off his busy schedule to host the Association’s members in Lagos.

The police boss also used the opportunity to once again, commend the Editor-in-Chief of Atlanticnewsonline, Mr. Frank Oshanugor for writing a book on ” Crime Beat Reporting in Nigeria – A Historical Journey of Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria.”

The book was publicly presented on March 26, 2026 at Lagos Airport Hotel, during which the Inspector General of Police was represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations at the Lagos State Police Command, Adeshina Lawal.

Speaking at the Saturday event which held at The Regent Hotel, GRA Ikeja, Lagos, IGP Disu traced his relationship with Crime Reporters to his early days as a young officer in Lagos.

According to him, he was initially afraid of interfacing with journalists in the course of his duties especially when he became the Commander of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), but his first physical interaction changed his perception about journalists.

“Leveraging on the initial interaction, I began to see journalists particularly crime reporters as friendly personalities who were ready to assist me in my career as a police officer.

“Crime reporters in particular trained me on how to relate with the media generally. Even as a police officer, they taught me how to parade suspects without abusing their rights and many other rights.

“In fact, I learnt a lot from journalists as I kept bonding with them in the course of our duties and I was soon to learn that journalists professionally have their own jobs to do as well. For this reason, they occasionally write stories not good for the police but I would advise my colleagues to take it in good faith as far as the stories were factual. He stressed that such critical stories would only help to checkmate our activities.”

IGP Disu who was hosting Lagos based crime reporters for the first time since he became Nigeria’s number one police officer, excitedly told the journalists that “I am happy to be home with you. We started together with you and we have been together with you. I learnt from the scratch in my policing to understand people like journalists who also have their jobs to do even when it’s hurting to police.”

Speaking further, the Inspector General of Police said “my relationship with journalists has been so overwhelming as they have taken time to be part of my career trajectory. Everything is not money. Friendship is not all about money.”

Responding to the IGP’s speech, President of Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria, Mr. Olalekan Olabulo of the Nigeria Tribune Newspaper, noted that IGP Disu has been a very brilliant, friendly and committed police officer well known and loved by journalists because of his amiable and humble nature. He advised the police boss to continue on the right path in policing Nigeria without any attempt to be anti-people, promising that crime reporters would always assist him to succeed.

The IGP was accompanied to the hosting by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone Two Headquarters, Moshood Jimoh Olohundare, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command and other senior officers.

No fewer than 25 crime reporters representing different media organisations attended the event.