Acting Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Kpotun Idris, mni , was born in Bida, Niger State, on 15th January 1959.
He attended St. Paul Primary School, Sokoto, and Government Secondary School, Farfaru Sokoto.
He bagged two University Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and an LLB (Honours) in Law from University of Maiduguri.
He enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force as ASP Cadet in 1984. He was a onetime Divisional Crime Officer and Traffic Officer in Gusau Division in the present Zamfara State from 1986 to 1987.
Later he served in the Police Mobile Force for 17 years from 1987 to 2004.The Acting IGP has travelled wide as an officer through the international Peace Keeping Force. In 2004 he led a contingent of Nigerian Police officers to United Nation Mission in Liberia. He was later seconded by the Nigerian Government to the United Nations in March 2005, where he served as Mission Police Operation Coordinator from February 2004 to October 2008, and was later deployed from there as the Deputy Police Commissioner in-charge of Operations in United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor Leste (UNMIT) from October 2008 to March 2011.
Idris, due to his international exposure, was appointed the Director, International Peace Keeping Office at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters from 11th April 2011 to 6th July 2011, and served as Commissioner of Police in Kano State from 7th July 2011 to 16th February 2013. He was once a Commissioner of Police in Nassarawa from where he was posted to Nigeria Police Force Headquarters as the Commissioner of Police, Police Mobile Force, in September 2014.
It would go down in the history of the police force in Nigeria that Idris was appointed by The UN Secretary General as a Police Commissioner in UNAMID in Darfur. But his contribution and expertise that was integral and needed during the general elections would not allow him to pick up the appointment.
He was later transferred to Kano State Command in 2015 where he conducted the general elections held in 2015 and then Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The new IGP is certainly well learned; apart from being a graduate of the Nigeria Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Jos, bagging the mni, he also attended many professional courses in Nigeria such as the PMF Conversion course 1987, PMF Operation Management Course, PMF Armoured Personnel Carrier Operation Course, all in Gwoza, between 1987 and 1989.
He also attended Advanced Detective Course in 1987, Police Intermediate Course in 1997 and Senior Command Course in 2003, all in Police Staff College, Jos. He further attended the Joint Police and Military courses, including Disaster Management Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, in 2003.
At the international level, the police boss attended a seminar on re-organization and reforms of Formed Police Units (FPU) under the United Nations, at the Centre for excellence for Stability Police Forces (COESPU) in Vicenza, Italy in 2004.
He also attended the UN Senior Leadership Induction Course and UN Leadership Course at the UN Headquarters in New York in February and September 2009 respectively. He further attended Civil-Military Coordination in Disaster Management Course organized by the United States Military Pacific Command and United Nations in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2010.
Idris has severally served as visiting lecturer on “Roles of Police on United Nations peace Keeping Operations” in Nigerian Defence College in 2011, 2012 and 2013. He was a Mentor to African Union/United Nations Senior Leadership Seminar in Douala, Cameroun 2010 and African Union/Ecowas Senior Leadership Course held in Nigerian Defense College Abuja in 2012.
He is a recipient of many national and international awards including the Nigerian Inspector General of Police Commendation Award for his performance as Commandant PMF Training College, Gwoza in 2004, the Special Representative of the Secretary General Commendation Award for planning, execution and coordination of security for the Liberian National Elections in 2005, and the Special Representative of the Secretary General’s Award for coordinating major operations in Timor Leste in 2011.
He also bagged two Outstanding Leadership Awards by two United Nations Missions– United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor Leste (UNMIT) in 2006 and 2009 respectively— for his outstanding performance as Operations Coordinator in UNMIL and Deputy Police Commissioner in charge of Operations in UNMIT respectively.
In March 2011, the President of Democratic Republic of Timor Leste, Dr Jose Ramos Horta (Nobel Lauret) awarded Idris the country’s highest national medal, “Medal of Merit”, for his contribution to the security and stability of Timor Leste. He served for over seven years in the United Nations.
He is happily is married to Barrister Asmau Ndayako Ibrahim and the family is blessed with many children.
