Tunji Disu on Wednesday formally assumed duty as the Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), declaring an end to impunity within the Nigeria Police Force and pledging a regime of zero tolerance for corruption and human rights abuses.
Disu’s assumption of office followed his decoration by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, earlier in the day. He later arrived at the Force Headquarters around 4:25 p.m. to take his first salute from members of the Quarter Guard before proceeding to a formal handover ceremony.
His predecessor, Kayode Egbetokun, resigned on Tuesday, citing family reasons. However, multiple Presidency sources indicated that he was asked to step down during a meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa on Monday evening.
Addressing State House correspondents shortly after his decoration, Disu emphasised that Nigerian citizens, not political actors, remain the ultimate authority over the police.
“I will let them know that the era of impunity is over,” he declared, promising to retrain officers nationwide and reinforce strict adherence to human rights standards.
He stressed that citizen-centred policing would define his leadership, adding that cooperation between the police and the public is indispensable to national security.
“No police anywhere in the world can succeed without the cooperation of members of the public,” Disu said, noting that one of his first engagements would be a nationwide address to officers to reorient them on professionalism and public accountability.
Emotional Appointment, Presidential Challenge
The new IGP described his elevation as emotional, recounting how President Tinubu referenced his career milestones during the decoration ceremony.
“The President mentioning areas I’ve worked and successes I’ve recorded almost brought me to tears,” Disu said, interpreting the gesture as both recognition and a challenge to deliver peace and stability nationwide.
On welfare, he pledged to prioritise improved motivation and morale, arguing that well-supported officers perform more effectively.
Regarding Nigeria’s persistent security threats, including banditry and insurgency, Disu expressed confidence in the Force’s capacity, stating that his task would be to harness existing dedication within the ranks.
Egbetokun Backs Successor
The outgoing IGP, Egbetokun, who attended the ceremony in a blue suit alongside Deputy Inspectors-General, expressed strong confidence in Disu’s leadership.
He described their shared professional history, noting that Disu served as his principal staff officer and later as commissioner of police in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory. He also praised Disu’s role in implementing the presidential directive withdrawing police officers from VIP protection.
“I have so much confidence that he would surpass what I have done,” Egbetokun stated.
Egbetokun’s tenure, which began on June 19, 2023, and was confirmed on October 31, 2023, lasted approximately two years and eight months. It was marked by controversies over protest management, allegations of partisanship during elections, and criticism regarding the nation’s worsening security climate.
Retirement Dynamics and Police Council Confirmation
Disu’s appointment comes just 48 days before his scheduled retirement on April 13, 2026, when he would attain the mandatory retirement age of 60.
However, provisions of the amended Police Act allow an IGP to serve a four-year tenure regardless of age, potentially extending his stay in office until 2030.
According to presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu will convene a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council to formally consider Disu’s appointment as substantive IGP before forwarding his name to the Senate for confirmation.
The appointment is expected to trigger significant restructuring within the Force. At least nine Deputy Inspectors-General (DIGs), including DIG Adebola Hamzat, DIG Mohammed Gumel, DIG Adebowale Williams, and DIG Frank Mba, may retire in line with the tradition requiring senior officers to vacate their positions when a junior colleague is appointed IGP.
Sources within the Police Service Commission estimate that between 15 and 20 senior officers could exit as a consequence of the new leadership hierarchy.
Career Profile
Born on April 13, 1966, on Lagos Island, Disu joined the Nigeria Police Force on May 18, 1992. He gained national prominence as Commander of the Rapid Response Squad in Lagos, where he rebranded officers as “The Good Guys” and led the unit to win the Best Anti-Crime Squad award in West Africa in 2016.
On August 2, 2021, he was appointed head of the Intelligence Response Team, succeeding the suspended Abba Kyari. He later served as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory before his elevation to Assistant Inspector-General in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Alagbon, Lagos.
With expectations high and internal restructuring imminent, Disu’s tenure begins amid both institutional uncertainty and public demand for credible reform within the Nigeria Police Force.
