SIGH OF RELIEF: Catherine Ugorji emerges UN Woman Police Officer of the Year

Nigeria Police may now have some respite, sigh of relief and something to celebrate other than bashes from Nigerians and beyond over brutality and rights abuses with the emergence of CSP Catherine Ugorji as a runner-up for the United Nations Police Officer of the year Award..

Ugorji who is serving with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has been selected as one of two runners-up for the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year award for 2020.

Chief Inspector Doreen Malambo of Zambia, serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), would receive the award.

It would be presented during a virtual ceremony on Tuesday, November 3.

Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, in a statement by Oluseyi Soremekun, National Information Officer of the UN System in Nigeria, said through her words and actions, Ugorji exemplifies the best of UN policing.

Of the 1,300 UN policewomen deployed in UN peacekeeping operations, twenty-one were nominated for the award.

CSP Ugorji joined the Nigeria Police in 2003 and served as Criminal Investigator from the local to regional level.

She was also Child Protection Officer and Divisional Crime Officer up to Acting Deputy Commander of the Ogudu Police Division in Lagos.

UN Police Advisor, Luis Carrilho, congratulated Ugorji for being chosen as a runner-up and described her leadership of “three Formed Police Units (FPU) in Gao” as remarkable.

Carrilho noted the Nigerian introduced tactical operations that have been instrumental in reducing crime, in support of the Malian security forces and the host population.

“In addition to this very demanding role, Chief Superintendent Ugorji has worked diligently to improve living conditions for women police officers so they can serve safely and with dignity,” the official said.