Trailblazing DIG Rhoda Olofu Sets the Record Straight: ‘I Retired With Honour, Not Disgrace’

Nigeria’s first female Deputy Inspector-General of Police from the North, Rhoda Adetutu Olofu, is pushing back against online claims questioning the legitimacy of her retirement, reaffirming her 35-year journey in the Force as both lawful and exemplary.
In response to a report by Sahara Reporters alleging that she was prematurely discharged over age falsification and service rule violations, DIG Olofu broke her silence on Monday, describing the publication as “deliberately misleading and defamatory.”
“I was not dismissed, nor did I falsify my age. I served my country for 35 years, exactly as the rules require. My retirement was not only due, it was dignified,” she said in a statement that doubled as a defense of her legacy.
Olofu, who joined the Nigeria Police Force on March 3, 1990, at age 24 after graduating from the University of Ilorin, emphasized that she left on her own terms — completing the mandatory 35 years of service before the age threshold of 60.
Her career took her through the ranks and across critical units including Training and Development, Establishment, Logistics and Supply, and the elite Force Criminal Investigation Department.
Her final posting as Force Secretary at the Force Headquarters capped a distinguished journey — one that shattered barriers for women in uniform.
“To be the first woman from Northern Nigeria to reach the rank of DIG was not just about breaking glass ceilings. It was about proving that merit and discipline still count,” she said.
She urged the public to disregard what she called “sensational fabrications,” stressing that the Nigeria Police Force had no issues with her credentials or service record.
Her rebuttal arrived at a time when speculation about the exits of senior officers from the police hierarchy is running high.
Yet, for Olofu, the noise does little to dim the lights of a storied career built on discipline, trailblazing leadership, and integrity.