Disu appoints DCP Anthony Placid new Force PRO, replaces Hundeyin

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has approved the appointment of Deputy Commissioner of Police Anthony Placid as the new Force Public Relations Officer for the Nigeria Police Force.

Placid steps into the role previously held by Benjamin Hundeyin, who announced the transition in a statement on Sunday from the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

Described as a seasoned officer, Placid brings a wealth of experience in administration, operations, intelligence, training, and international peacekeeping to the position.

Born on December 2, 1970, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, he hails from Mbiokporo Nsit in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area. His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Geography and Regional Planning from the University of Uyo and a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the University of Jos.

He is also pursuing a Bachelor of Laws degree at the National Open University of Nigeria.

Placid began his career as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police at the Police Academy in Kano in 1996 and was commissioned in August 1998. Over the years, he has completed numerous professional courses, including UN Peace Operations Specialised Training, where he earned certifications in Police Studies, Military Studies, Gender Awareness, International Humanitarian Law, Human Rights, and Civilian Protection.

He also participated in the UNITAR Senior Leadership and Peacebuilding course in Kenya.

His extensive career includes roles such as Police Public Relations Officer in Adamawa State and at the Police Staff College in Jos, Chief of Training for the African Union Mission in Sudan, and Head of Training and Development for the United Nations Mission in Darfur.

He has served as Divisional Police Officer in Federal Housing Calabar, Bakassi, Uruan, and Gembu, and as Officer-in-Charge of the Anti-Robbery Unit in Kaduna State.

Other key postings include African Union Election Security Adviser, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations) in Akwa Ibom and Kogi States, Assistant Commissioner of Police in the Intelligence Department, Abia State, and Deputy Commissioner in charge of Administration and Finance at Zone 3 Headquarters, Yola.

Placid is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and serves as a trainer for both the Commonwealth on Human Rights and the International Committee of the Red Cross on International Humanitarian Law.

A graduate of the Senior Executive Course 47 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, he was inducted as a Member of the National Institute (mni) on December 13, 2025, shortly before his redeployment to Cross River State.

Married with children, Placid enjoys listening to music and playing football, basketball, table tennis, and badminton in his leisure time.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

See author's posts