First Female Area Commander, Agbara Area Command, Ogun State.
A Fusion of Intelligence, Integrity, and Impact in Service
In the realm of modern Nigerian policing, few officers embody excellence, resilience, and community-focused leadership like Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Tanaruno Antonia Folashade, PSC, MNIPR. As one of the 20 Intelligent Police Officers with Probity, her profile is a blend of cerebral brilliance, ethical strength, and unwavering devotion to public service — qualities that make her stand out as an exceptional figure featured in Brain Magazine.
Foundations of Brilliance and Character
Born in the historic city of Abeokuta, Ogun State, ACP Folashade’s journey into law enforcement began on a firm academic foundation. A 1997 graduate of Mass Communication, she furthered her education with a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Relations and Advertising from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Ogba, Lagos.
Before joining the police, she served in the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation (OGBC) and completed her NYSC in Jigawa State, already sowing the seeds of public engagement and service — tools she would later use strategically in law enforcement.
A Trail of Dedication: Two Decades of Excellence in Policing
Since enlisting in the Nigeria Police Force in 2000, ACP Folashade has charted a stellar path of diverse postings and impactful contributions:
Initial Deployment: Edo State Command (2002–2004
International Peacekeeping: Deputy Sector Commander, Sudan (2005–2006)
Tactical & Investigative Roles:
- DCO, Makinde Division, Oshodi (2006–2011)
- DCO, Trinity Division, Apapa (2011–2012)
- OC Surveillance, State CIID, Borno (2012)
- Area Crime Officer, Area F, Ikeja
- DPO, Lion Building (2015–2017)
- DPO, Alausa and Man Centre, Ikeja (2017–2019)
- 2ic Area Commander Oshogbo Area command 2019
- 2ic Area Commander Shagamu 2020.
- DPO Warewa. 2020
- DPO AREGBE 2021
- DPO MOWE. 2022
- AREA COMMANDER APATA
- AREA COMMAND IBADAN OYO STATE 2022.
Her passion for peace and order extended beyond Nigeria when she served again as a UN Peacekeeper in South Sudan (2022–2024), where she rose to the role of Field Office Police Commander in Yambio, Western Equatoria. There, she won the Outstanding Leadership Award for her strategic contributions to post-conflict peacekeeping.
Marital Balance and Exemplary Homefront Stability
Beyond the uniform, ACP Folashade is a devoted wife and mother. Married to Engr. M. Tanaruno and blessed with children, she exemplifies how women can achieve career excellence without sacrificing family integrity. Her marital stability serves as a powerful foundation, complementing her professional discipline and reinforcing her productivity and emotional intelligence in leadership roles.
Community-Driven, People-Centered Policing
Now serving as the First Female Area Commander of Agbara Area Command, Ogun State, ACP Folashade continues to redefine law enforcement as a collaborative, community-based service. Under her leadership:
She initiated sanitation drives, school awareness campaigns, and stakeholders’ forums.
Promoted the ethos that “security is everybody’s responsibility.”
Rebuilt trust between the police and communities in both urban and semi-rural locations.
Tackled pressing societal issues such as cultism, drug abuse, domestic violence, and gender-based crimes with strategic empathy.
Training, Intelligence, and Strategic Development
ACP Folashade's intellectual depth is further amplified by her professional development at renowned institutions:
Police Staff College, Jos – Tactical Leadership and Management
Army School of Intelligence – Basic Criminal Intelligence Course
Armed Forces Command & Staff College, Jaji – Internal Security & Low-Intensity Conflict Training
Junior Command Course – Professional Police Development.
Her educational track reflects a strategic mind trained for leadership, conflict resolution, intelligence gathering, and nation-building.
Why She Fits into the Brain Magazine’s List of Exceptional Police Officers
Exceptional Intelligence: From conflict zones in Borno and South Sudan to strategic peace zones like Agbara, she has demonstrated high-level thinking, resilience, and foresight.
Proven Probity: Despite decades in a system often riddled with ethical challenges, ACP Folashade remains untainted, consistently upholding the values of justice and honesty.
Barrier-Breaking Leadership: As a first female commander in several locations, she has opened doors for other women in policing, shattering limiting beliefs and mentoring the next generation.
Humanitarian and Societal Impact: Her grassroots programs focus on real-life issues, inspiring a shift in how communities perceive and interact with the police.
Balanced Productivity: She harmonizes the rigors of her job with the warmth of family life — demonstrating that strength, softness, service, and structure can coexist.
Personal Interests and Human Side
Outside her uniform, ACP Folashade finds joy in: Reading, Dancing, Traveling and Sports.
These personal expressions reflect her well-rounded personality, providing mental balance and creative stimulation — vital assets for a strategic thinker in high-pressure environments.
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| L-r: Hon. Ganiyu Olowu, Communication Expert Ijoko ACDC Chairman, Ogun state and ACP Antonia Folashade, Agbara Area Command Ogun state. |
Conclusion
ACP Tanaruno Antonia Folashade, PSC, MNIPR is not just a police officer — she is a phenomenon. A beacon of hope, discipline, intelligence, and peacekeeping in a volatile world. She has proven that intelligence and integrity, when united with compassion and strategy, can transform both systems and societies.
Her name rightly belongs among Nigeria’s most intelligent and ethical law enforcement officers. In honoring her in Brain Magazine’s list of 20 Intelligent Nigerian Police Officers with Probity, we salute not just her achievements but the new standard she sets for policing in Africa.
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