The former Commissioner of Police in Cross River State, Rashid Bello Afegbua, has returned to Calabar in a higher capacity following his appointment as the new Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police in charge of Zone 6 Headquarters.
A statement issued by the Zonal Public Relations Officer, DSP Jefferson Osupe, said AIG Afegbua officially assumed duty on Monday, August 3, 2026, becoming the 34th Assistant Inspector General of Police to head Zone 6.
The new AIG, who previously served as Commissioner of Police in Cross River State, is expected to provide strategic leadership aimed at strengthening security, improving collaboration among security agencies, promoting community policing and enhancing intelligence gathering across the states under the Zone 6 Command.
AIG Afegbua is a legal practitioner and a veteran police officer with more than 30 years of service in the Nigeria Police Force. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from the University of Calabar, and a Barrister-at-Law qualification from the Nigerian Law School, Bwari, Abuja.
Born on August 22, 1968, in Okpella, Edo State, he joined the Nigeria Police Force in 1992 as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police after completing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme in Cross River State.
Over the years, he has built an impressive career in operational policing, police administration, intelligence-led policing and the application of technology to modern law enforcement. He has served in several strategic command and operational positions across Nigeria, earning recognition for professionalism, discipline and effective leadership.
Before his latest appointment, Afegbua was the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Department of Training at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, where he coordinated capacity-building programmes and supported key police reform initiatives designed to improve the efficiency and professionalism of the Force.
The police described his career objective as one centred on professionalism and institutional renewal, in line with the reform agenda of the Inspector-General of Police.
During his years of service, the new Zone 6 police boss attended numerous professional courses and leadership programmes in Nigeria and abroad, covering tactical leadership, operational planning, criminology, cybercrime, ethics, human rights, strategic command and digital rights.
He is also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Society for Peace and Practice (SPSP), and the Institute of Corporate Administration (ICAD).
Residents of Cross River may remember Afegbua from his time as Commissioner of Police in the state, where he led several security operations and worked with community leaders and other stakeholders to improve public safety.
With his return to Calabar as Assistant Inspector General of Police, many observers believe his experience and familiarity with the South-South region will strengthen security coordination across Zone 6, which covers Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Edo and Delta states.
The Zone 6 Headquarters expressed confidence that AIG Afegbua's wealth of experience, legal background and commitment to professionalism would further advance effective policing and deepen public trust in the Nigeria Police Force.
Outside his policing career, AIG Rashid Bello Afegbua enjoys reading, travelling and watching movies. He is married and blessed with children.
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