Monday Agbonika
OpenLife News reports that Police Zone 5 Headquarters in Benin City has announced that a new Assistant Inspector-General of Police has been deployed to the Zone which comprises Edo and Delta State Police Commands.
The new AIG is Monday Agbonika, who, until last month, was the Commissioner of Police in charge of Edo State Command until his promotion to the prestigious rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police on 18th May, 2026 and redeployed as the AIG Zone 5 Benin.
In a statement signed by SP Tijani A. Momoh, Zone 5 Police Public Relations Officer, Agbonika assumed duty on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, succeding AIG Salman-Dogo Garba who recently retired from the Force.
AIG Agbonika hails from Idah Local Government Area of Kogi State.
His illustrious career in the Force commenced on 18th May, 1992, when he got enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police and trained at the Nigeria Police Academy Annex in Kaduna State.
The AIG holds a BSc (Hons) and MSc in Psychology and Organizational Psychology respectively from the University of Jos including another Masters Degree in Security and Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan with a Ph.D in Peace and Conflict Studies (In View) in the University of Ibadan.
He has attended all mandatory Police courses,(psc) at the Police Staff College in Jos, a Fellow, Society for Peace Studies and Practice, (fspsp), and a Fellow of the National Defence College Nigeria, (fdc).
He brings over three decades of Nigeria Police Force experience spanning Criminal investigations, Administration, Public information, Divisional and Area Commands, State Command, and now Zonal Command. He has also served as the Commissioner of Police, Mounted Troop, Department of Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
His investigative grounding includes the officer in charge of the Anti-Robbery Squad in Plateau State.
He led the Anti-Fraud Section of the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department, Zone 2 Lagos State, where he directed sensitive, high-profile cases to significant breakthroughs.
AIG Agbonika was also once the Divisional Police Officer across multiple Lagos State Police Divisions, including Festac, Surulere, Oke-Odo, Isokoko and the Central Police Station Adeniji Adele on Lagos Island, before his promotion and appointment as Area Commander in Ekiti, Lagos and Ogun States respectively.
His Community Policing credentials are longstanding and internationally recognized.
He once served as Public Information Officer for the UN Police Mission in Liberia, working alongside officers from over 39 countries and helping draft the Liberian National Police Media Policy.
In 2015, the AIG attended a United States Institute of Peace workshop in Washington DC on Community Policing approaches to countering violent extremism.
This combination of frontline command experience, investigative expertise, international justice reform practice and a sustained personal commitment to community policing positions him for best practice democratic policing.
Awards
The brilliant, hardworking and versatile officer has earned several international and Nigeria Police commendations and awards for excellence and courage.
Notable are:
– Commissioner of Police Commendation and award for Courage in Jos, Plateau State.
– The most people friendly Police Station award in an award ceremony held in South Africa.
– in 2015, finalist for the “Spirit of Lagos” award in the exemplary conduct category.
In addition, AIG Agbonika is an alumnus of the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) on the Role of State Police in the Criminal Justice System of the USA.
He is happily married with children.
He loves reading and traveling.
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