HISTORIC: Benue Born NPF Officer Emerge First Police SAN

The Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Simon Asamber Lough has put Benue State in the epoch of history with his emergence as the first Officer of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to attain the apex of legal practice in Nigeria which has merited him the prestigious rank of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The Officer received the honors during the swearing-in at the State House, Abuja on Wednesday by the Chief Justice of Nigeria following recommendations and approval by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC). Hundreds of his family and friends converged to witness the hallowed ceremony of the investiture.

This feat is deserving of congratulations, first to the institution of policing in Nigeria and also to Benue State, the MiddleBelt Region and Nigeria.

Born in 1969, the 52 years old who hails from Katsina-Ala LGA of Benue State is currently the Head of Chambers, Legal Section of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Assistant Commissioner of Police, at the Louis Edet House, Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in the FCT.

A statement by the the Force Public Relations Officer, CP Frank Mba extolled the excellent scorecard of the Police Prosecutor, ACP Lough noting that the Officer had made outstanding contributions to the development of law in the country.

The statement by the Police revealed that, “ACP Simon Lough, a Police prosecutor par excellence, was appointed as a cadet officer (ASP) into the service of the Nigeria Police Force in the year 2000. 21 years down the line in Public Service, ACP Lough has served in various departments of the Force- including the legal section and held national positions on implementing legal policies for the country.

“Notable amongst his contributions and achievements is his record of securing over one hundred convictions of cases of armed robbery, murder, rape, financial crimes, amongst others. He also successfully defended several high-profile cases and got 33 judgements at the Court of Appeal and seven at the Supreme Court of Nigeria. These achievements have earned him several commendations and awards within and outside Nigeria. With his investiture to the rank of SAN, he is the first serving member of the NPF and any other uniform agency in Nigeria to attain the feat in the legal profession,’ he said.

The Inspector-General Police, Usman Alkali Baba in congratulating the officer maintained that the achievement deserving of the exemplary hard work, dedication, tenacity which are values upheld by ACP Lough in the discharge of duty and goes to affirm the age-long maxim that ‘hard work truly pays’.

The IGP further charged the Officer to consider the accomplishment as a platform that should propel him towards fulfilling other lofty goals and more professional services to the NPF and the nation.

Middlebelt Herald congratulates ACP Lough S. A, SAN on the Great feat he has achieved and wish him even greater heights in his career.