John Hodge

John Hodge was a colonial police officer who became Nigeria's Inspector-General of Police in 1962, he was the last expatriate to lead Nigeria's police force. Hodge began his career within the British colonial service. In Nigeria, he worked in all three regions in the country before retiring in 1964. Hodge gradually rose through the ranks. He was deputy commissioner, Northern region, Kaduna in 1953, two years later he was posted to Enugu to take charge as the regional police commissioner. In 1960, he became Deputy Inspector-General of police, a position he held until is appointment as commander of the 23,000 Nigerian police force in 1962. Significance and succession

Hodge's tenure as Inspector-General of Police from 1962 to 1964 was a critical transitional period during which the Nigerianisation of the Nigeria Police Force was being completed following independence in 1960. His appointment as IGP marked the final phase of British administrative control over the force, after which all senior leadership positions were transferred to Nigerian officers.

On 1 April 1964, Hodge was succeeded by Louis Orok Edet, who became the first Nigerian Inspector-General of Police and oversaw the force during the early years of independence. Hodge retired from service in 1964 and died on 24 October 1989, as recorded in his obituary published in The Times, London.