New Leadership at Force Intelligence Department as DIG Assumes Duty

 The Nigeria Police Force has announced a change of leadership at the Force Intelligence Department (FID) with the assumption of duty by Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Mohammed Usaini Gumel, FIPMA, psc, as the fourth DIG to head the strategic intelligence arm of the Force.

DIG Gumel takes over from DIG Benjamin Nebolisa Okolo, fdc, marking a new phase in the leadership of the department responsible for intelligence gathering, analysis, and coordination in support of national security and policing operations across the country.

A native of Gumel in Jigawa State, DIG Gumel was enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force in 1992 as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police, Course 17. Over the last three decades, he has built an extensive career rooted in intelligence-led policing, community safety, and strategic command. He holds a Master of Technology (M.Tech) degree in Educational Technology and a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree in Islamic Studies.

The new FID boss is a Fellow of the Institute of Professional Managers and Administrators of Nigeria (FIPMA) and a member of several professional and international bodies, including the Society for Peace Studies and Practices (SPSP), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the World Intelligence Support System (WISS), and the Global Information Security Council (GISEC).

He is also a certified professional in GSM Fundamentals Technical Intelligence Training by Cobweb Intelligence.

DIG Gumel has held numerous strategic and operational positions within the Nigeria Police Force. These include Commissioner of Police, Technical Intelligence Unit at Force Headquarters, Abuja;

Commissioner of Police in Sokoto and Kano State Commands; and Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 7, Abuja. Prior to his appointment as DIG, Force Intelligence Department, he served as the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Community Policing Project (CPP) Department, Research and Planning, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

His career portfolio also spans critical national and international assignments. He served as Head of the Police Component of the ECOWAS Standby Force and Peace Support Operations Division between 2016 and 2021. Other roles include Head of Operations, Niger State Command; Head of the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau, Kwara State Command; Staff Officer (Intelligence) in the Office of the Inspector-General of Police; Officer-in-Charge of the Zonal Intelligence Bureau, Abuja; and Officer-in-Charge of the State Intelligence Bureau, Niger State. Internationally, he served as a Police Unit Commander with the United Nations Mission in Liberia.

In furtherance of his professional development, DIG Gumel has attended numerous high-level leadership, intelligence, and security courses within and outside Nigeria. These include the Advanced Intelligence Course at the Nigerian Army Intelligence School; United Nations Integrated Mission Training in Liberia; ECOWAS Standby Force Post-Command Exercise at KAIPTC, Ghana; UK DFID Justice for All (J4A) and NPF Change Management programmes; U.S. Department of State Anti-Terrorism Assistance courses; Terrorist Financing Investigation training with the UK Metropolitan Police; NATO Allied Joint Command Exercise Planning in Italy; and Training of Trainers with the North-Rhine Westphalia State Police, Germany.

He has also participated in courses on peacekeeping logistics in Bamako, weapons and ammunition management at the ECOWAS Commission, and global intelligence and information security at GISEC, UAE, as well as an Advanced Community-Oriented Policing Course facilitated by the Las Vegas Police Service in Botswana in 2024.

Widely regarded as a seasoned and accomplished senior police executive, DIG Gumel brings to the Force Intelligence Department a blend of strategic leadership, operational expertise, and intelligence-driven policing. His career is noted for translating national security policies into measurable outcomes, leading high-risk security operations, and strengthening institutional capacity through collaboration, discipline, and teamwork. He is also credited with deep experience in international peacekeeping, ECOWAS peace support operations, inter-agency coordination, and the application of global best practices in intelligence, counter-terrorism, and police capability development.

Outside his professional responsibilities, DIG Gumel enjoys jogging, soccer, golf, travelling, networking, and team-based engagement. He is happily married and blessed with children.
The announcement was conveyed in a statement signed by DSP Adebayo Adebisi Robiat, MNISMA, Public Relations Liaison Officer, Force Intelligence Department, on behalf of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Intelligence Department.