NIGERIAN DEPUTY INSPECTOR OLUFUNMILOLA OBE APPOINTED NEW YORK POLICE COMMANDER

Nigerian-born Deputy Inspector Olufunmilola Obe has been named as the new commander of the 28th Precinct of the New York Police Department (NYPD) making her one of the highest ranked diasporan police officer in the US. Ms Obe replaces Deputy Inspector Kevin Williams who has been given a new assignment at the Counterterrorism Bureau. Deputy Inspector Obe was appointed to the New York City Police Department in February 1994 and began her career on patrol in the 17th Precinct.

She was promoted to sergeant in December 2000, lieutenant in July 2005, captain in September 2008 and deputy inspector in June 2012. Deputy Inspector Obe has served in the Midtown South Precinct; the 32, 25, 19 and 34 precincts and the Patrol Borough Manhattan North and Police Service Area 3.

Deputy Inspector Olufunmilola Obe

Like most other Nigerians in the US, she holds two degrees having obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from City College and a Masters in Public Administration and Government degree from Marist College. Already, the African community in the New York region has paid tribute to her, pointing out that she is a good role model.

Deputy Inspector Obe's appointment comes just two months after another Nigerian Shola Olatoye was appointed chairman of the New York City Housing Authority with a mandate to build 200,000 affording houses over the next decade. Ms Olatoye, 39, a former HSBC Bank vice president and senior community development manager, was until recently the vice president and New York market leader for Enterprise Community Partners, a national non-profit organisation. Like the diasporans in the UK where the community boats of three members of parliament, Nigerians across the US are gradually entering the mainstream of society. 

New York appears to be the arrowhead of this process due to the large number of Nigerians who live there.