Decency and virtue run deep in the blood of the former Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Lagos, Prince Abubakar Umar Manko.
An ardent hater of tribalism and religious fundamentalism entered into this world on the 14th of June, 1958 in Bida L o c a l G o v e r n ment Area of Niger State to the Royal Family of Wachinbe Moh’d Manko Musa, a grandson of Etsu Mamman Suba, the 2nd Etsu Nupe of the Fulani dynasty of Nupe Kingdom and Hajiya Fatima Zakari, was not without the trappings of his unique heritage.
But instructive about his upbringing is the inherent lesson: that being part of a royal bloodline implied imbibing scruples such as standing by the truth at all times and not succumbing to banal lies.
Unlike other heir apparent who allows their royalty to get into their heads, Prince Umar Abubakar Manko put aside his royalty early in life to acquire knowledge and western education.
He attended Bida East Primary School, Bida; Ndayako Senior Primary School, Bida; Government College, Bida; and, Zungeru College Of Advance Studies, Bida.
He bagged B.Sc(Hons) in Sociology from the Uthman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto (Formerly University Of Sokoto) in 1983. His educational training/orientation as a Sociologist, expedition for knowledge and service to humanity prompted his decision to wanting to serve the Nation through an organization like the Nigeria Police Force, quite remarkable of a “Prince of the Niger”.
Appointed into the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent Of Police on 31st December 1984, after his training at the Police Staff College,
Jos.
As a young Officer, he served in various Police Formations / Departments and capacities including the following;• Divisional Crime/Traffic Officer, Garki Police Station, Abuja.• Course Officer and Lecturer in Police Academy, Wudil, Kano.• Officer In-charge, Homicide Section, State CID, Panti-Yaba, Lagos.• Officer In-Charge, General Investigation Dept., SHQ. Ikeja-Lagos.
He also served as Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at various crime-prone towns/cities across the nation, among-st which are;Alausa Police Station, Ikeja-Lagos.Isokoko Police Station, Agege-Lagos.Ojo Police Station, Ojo-Lagos.Ekiadolor Police Station, Benin.New Benin Police Station, Benin.Etsako-East Police Station, Edo State.As a Commissioner of Police, he served in Abuja, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kano, Katsina, Edo and Lagos respectively.An Alumnus of National Institute Of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru-Jos, whose ability to manage manpower, scarce resources and mutual relationship with other and/or sister security agencies to achieve optimal result is distinctive.
AIG Umar Manko, as fondly addressed, took over from Mamman Ibrahim Tsafe. The Bida Prince had held sway at the Lagos State Police Command and its environs as an uncompromising and principled crime-burster who though with the support of the Officers and men of the Command, brought the crime rate in the state under control. Manko is a recipient of several awards, Local, National and International including; Best Proactive Provincial Regional Command in West Africa, by Security Watch Africa, Ghana (2012).Award Of Excellence Performance, by Child’s Dream-an affiliate of UNESCO (2012).
The Most Outstanding Police Commissioner In Nigeria, by Standard Education Advocacy Group Of Nigeria (2013). Most Outstanding Crime Bursting Police Chief In Africa, by Africa’s Foremost Security & Safety News Magazine (2013). Proactive Police Commissioner In Africa, by Africa’s Foremost Security & Safety News Magazine (2013).
Pundits once said that the decision of the then Inspector-General Of Police, Suleiman Abba at entrusting the Policing of the Zone 2 Command, comprising Lagos and Ogun State, to this “Born-To-Serve” type of heir apparent with his wealth of experience and ability to constantly create avenues to meet global experts and stakeholders where policing is extensively reviewed, discussed and critically examined in-line with local, national and international trends in crime(s) and general civil security, could not have been better.
Manko, often called “Inspector General Material” by police officers and pundits was a one-time Commissioner of Police for Lagos State, and AIG in charge of zone 2, comprising Lagos and Ogun states before he assumed his current position as a senior lecturer at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos where he previously bagged the prestigious Member of the National Institute (MNI).
The officer is loved by many, especially the human rights community and junior police officers. Prince Manko was dependable in fighting several violent crimes during his time in Lagos State.
No wonder the crime rate in the city drastically reduced under his watch. Manko would forever be remembered for bringing to an end the reign of legendary and scandalous robbery kingpin, Abbey Godogodo.
