The recent visit of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Panti, Yaba, Lagos, has further drawn attention to the changing face of criminal investigation under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner of Police Soledayo Ralf “Dayo” Akinbisehin.
The visit, which was marked by a special retirement ceremony for 24 police officers who had completed 35 years of service, provided an opportunity for the IGP to recognise the sacrifices of the retiring personnel while also highlighting the importance of welfare, institutional loyalty and professionalism within the Nigeria Police Force.
For Akinbisehin, who heads one of the most prominent investigative formations in the country, the occasion also represented an opportunity to demonstrate a leadership philosophy that places personnel welfare, professional investigation, discipline and respect for human dignity at the centre of policing.
During the ceremony, IGP Disu assured the retirees that retirement would not mean abandonment by the Police Force, stressing that their years of service to the nation remained valued.
The presence of the IGP at Panti also brought significant attention to the institution and its personnel, particularly at a time when the SCID has continued to handle sensitive and complex criminal investigations in Lagos.
Akinbisehin, in his remarks emphasised the importance of recognising officers who had dedicated decades of their lives to policing. He noted that retirement ceremonies should not only be associated with senior officers, stressing that every police officer who gives decades of service deserves to be appreciated.
He also recognised the role played by the families of the retiring officers, describing their wives, children, relatives and friends as unsung heroes whose sacrifices contributed to the officers’ ability to serve.
The development is consistent with what has emerged as one of the notable features of Akinbisehin’s leadership at SCID Panti placing officers’ welfare and institutional morale alongside operational effectiveness.
Before and during his tenure at Panti, Akinbisehin has built a career around specialised policing and complex investigations. An indigene of lle-Oluji, Ondo State, the DCP has served in strategic assignments, including as Head of the Multi- Agency Fusion Centre on Counter-Terrorism under the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja and as second-in-command at the Police Special Fraud Unit in Lekki, Lagos.
These assignments exposed him to counter-terrorism coordination, intelligence gathering, financial crime gathering, investigation and multi-agency operations, experiences that have shaped his approach to criminal investigation.
At Panti, the DCP has increasingly pushed for a more professional and evidence-based approach to investigations, with emphasis on intelligence, forensic evidence, proper documentation, adherence to the law and respect for the rights of suspects and victims.
His academic background also reflects his interest in law, security and professional investigation. He holds a Master of Science degree and a Master of International Law and is an alumnus of the Police Staff College. He is also an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London, and a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police in the United States.
His approach to policing has attracted attention from civil society and human-rights stakeholders, particularly over his reported emphasis on professionalism and humane treatment of suspects.
In March 2026, social justice advocate Aduragbemi Olaide publicly commended Akinbisehin for professionalism, due process balance between firmness in crime fighting and respect for human dignity.
The commendation came amid increasing public interest in the way sensitive criminal investigations are handled, particularly at a department such as SCID Panti, where cases transferred to the department often involve serious allegations and considerable public interest.
Akinbisehin has also been associated with an anti-extortion stance, reportedly warning personnel against using their positions to exploit suspects, victims or members of the public.
For the DCP, the effectiveness of an investigation should ultimately depend on evidence and adherence to due process rather than intimidation or coercion.
That philosophy has been reflected in the department’s handling of several complex investigations.
In February 2026, the Lagos State Police Command confirmed the arrest of a woman accused of defrauding prospective tenants and another person in separate transactions amounting to about N105 million. Akinbisehin confirmed the case and disclosed that investigations would be concluded before the suspect was charged.
In another case. SCID Panti handled an investigation involving alleged human body- parts trading following the arrest of four suspects. The case underscored the kind of sensitive and disturbing criminal investigations routinely handled by the department.
The DCP’s emphasis on specialised investigation is particularly relevant in Lagos, where criminal networks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and where conventional policing methods are often insufficient to unravel financial crimes, cyber-enabled fraud, organised crime and other complex offences.
Akinbisehin’s experience at the Special Fraud Unit has also proved relevant to his responsibilities at Panti, particularly in dealing with financial and economic crimes that require detailed examination of documents, transactions, communications and other forms of evidence.
Beyond investigations, the DCP has continued to promote activities aimed at improving the relationship between police personnel and the communities they serve.
In 2025, he was reported participating with police officers in a sanitation exercise at Panti during the Nigeria Police Force’s National Police Sanitation Week.
The exercise provided another example of the command’s attempt to project policing as a public-service responsibility rather than an institution detached from the community.
For Akinbisehin, leadership is also about setting an example for officers under his command.
His reported insistence on discipline, professionalism and proper investigation has increasingly become part of the narrative surrounding his administration of SCID Panti.
In August 2026, the DCP was also publicly honoured by the Pentecostal Ministers Forum for his contribution to policing. The organisation cited his commitment to crime fighting, humility and fairness, while commending what it described as his impartial approach to criminal matters.
Akinbisehin, however, dedicated the recognition to the officers and men of SCID, stressing that policing remained a collective responsibility. That response is consistent with his emphasis on teamwork and institutional responsibility.
The DCP’s leadership style has also placed renewed attention on the welfare of serving and retiring personnel.
The retirement ceremony attended by IGP Disu was particularly significant because it demonstrated that welfare extends beyond salaries and material benefits to include recognition, dignity and a sense of belonging.
The retirees themselves used the occasion to call for improved welfare and remuneration for police personnel, pointing out the sacrifices made by officers who work long hours under difficult conditions.
The issue of welfare has become increasingly important to police leadership because the effectiveness of officers is closely connected to morale, motivation and professional development. At Panti, Akinbisehin has sought to make appreciation of personnel part of the department’s institutional culture.
Earlier in 2026, SCID Panti also organised a ceremony to honour officers who had completed 35 years of service, reinforcing the message that long service should be recognised regardless of rank.
For a police officer who has worked across specialised operational and investigative assignments, Akinbisehin’s current responsibility at Panti represents a significant test of leadership.
SCID is not merely another police formation. It is the investigative engine of the Lagos State Police Command, receiving complex cases requiring detailed investigation, intelligence development, evidence analysis and coordination with other police and security agencies.
The department therefore requires a leadership structure capable of balancing crime fighting with the demands of criminal justice and human rights.
Akinbisehin’s stated approach is built around that balance.
His advocacy for forensic-driven and rights-respecting investigation aligns with the broader evolution of policing in Nigeria, where investigators are increasingly required to understand digital evidence, financial transactions, forensic processes and modern investigative techniques.
His training in international law and arbitration also provides an additional legal perspective to his policing career.
The significance of his work at Panti is therefore not limited to the number of arrests made or cases investigated. It also lies in the attempt to strengthen the investigative culture of the institution by making professionalism, evidence, discipline and respect for human dignity central to the process.
The visit of IGP Disu to Panti consequently came at a symbolic moment.
Beyond the ceremony for retiring officers, it offered an opportunity to reinforce the importance of institutional continuity and the need for serving officers to understand that their years of service should be valued.
It also placed a spotlight on the leadership of Akinbisehin and the transformation being associated with his tenure at the SCID.
As Panti continues to handle some of Lagos’ most sensitive criminal cases, the focus under Akinbisehin appears increasingly centred on building an investigative system where professionalism and evidence take precedence, while officers are encouraged to understand that effective policing must be matched by discipline, welfare and respect for the law.
For Akinbisehin, the responsibility goes beyond apprehending suspects. It involves strengthening the institution, protecting the integrity of investigations, supporting personnel and ensuring that the pursuit of justice remains anchored on professionalism and due process. His tenure at SCID Panti is thus emerging as another chapter in the career of a police officer whose assignments have consistently placed him at the intersection of investigation, intelligence, security and criminal justice.
Credits: Written by The Compatriot
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