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President Bola Tinubu has tasked the newly sworn in Acting Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to crush criminals and restore peace to the country.
The president issued the task on Wednesday at the swearing-in and decoration of Disu at the State House, Abuja.
Tinubu expressed confidence in the capacity of Disu to steer the ship of the Nigeria Police Force.
The president stated that he believed in Disu’s dedication and committed to duty when he (president) was the governor of Lagos state.
He added that the appointment was coming at a defining moment for national security.
“You have my full support to crush criminal elements across the country. You assume this responsibility at a defining moment for our nation’s security.
“I expect you to strengthen discipline, enhance inter-agency collaboration and restore peace,” he said.
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday removed Kayode Egbetokun as Inspector-General of Police after summoning him to the Presidential Villa the previous evening and directing him to resign, ending a 32-month tenure marked by a controversial age-limit extension, multiple court orders against journalists, a corruption allegation involving his son, and sustained criticism from civil society groups who had described his continued presence as constitutionally untenable.
Egbetokun was asked to resign at a meeting with the president at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday, a presidency source confirmed. He was appointed as the 22nd indigenous Inspector-General of Police on June 19, 2023, and his substantive appointment was confirmed by the Nigeria Police Council on October 31 that year. The official account, delivered by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, cited pressing family considerations as Egbetokun’s stated reason. Multiple presidency sources independently told journalists that the decision was not voluntary.
“It was in that meeting he was asked to go,” one senior official said on condition of anonymity. Egbetokun’s official vehicle was sighted at the villa forecourt at approximately 6:40 p.m. on Monday. He returned around 8:00 p.m., at which point his vehicle was searched by operatives of the Department of State Services.
Tinubu acknowledged receipt of the resignation letter and commended Egbetokun for his “decades of distinguished service to the Nigeria Police Force and the nation” and his “dedication, professionalism, and steadfast commitment to strengthening internal security architecture during his tenure.” He simultaneously approved the appointment of Assistant Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu as acting Inspector-General with immediate effect. Disu becomes Nigeria’s 23rd IGP. In compliance with the Police Act 2020, the president said he would convene a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council to formally consider Disu’s appointment as substantive IGP, after which his name will be transmitted to the Senate for confirmation.
Egbetokun’s tenure was marked by several controversies. His extended stay in office beyond the mandatory retirement threshold of 60 years drew sustained criticism from civil society groups, legal experts and commentators. Controversy also arose following claims that ₦100 million from Anambra State’s security vote was traced to the bank account of Victor, Egbetokun’s son, an allegation police authorities denied and characterised as defamatory.
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Rather than permitting an independent investigation, critics alleged that police authorities deployed institutional resources to pursue legal action against individuals and media platforms that reported the matter. He also initiated multiple charges against activist Omoyele Sowore and SaharaReporters, with the Federal High Court issuing injunctions restricting publications relating to Egbetokun and members of his family, orders that press freedom organisations described as instruments of censorship.
Disu was born on April 13, 1966, on Lagos Island. He completed his primary education at Mayflower Junior School in Ogun State before attending St Gregory’s College in Lagos. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English Education from Lagos State University, a postgraduate diploma in International Relations and Strategic Studies, and two master’s degrees, one in Public Administration from Adekunle Ajasin University and another in Criminology, Security and Legal Psychology from LASU.
His police career has been built primarily in Lagos and at federal command levels. He led the Rapid Response Squad in Lagos from 2015 to 2021, served as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State from November 2023 to October 2024, commanded the FCT Police from October 2024 to March 2025, headed the Special Protection Unit at Force Headquarters from March 2025 to February 2026, and most recently served as AIG in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex in Alagbon, Lagos, a position he assumed only weeks before his appointment as acting IGP.
Beyond his police career, Disu is a decorated judoka, holding a third dan black belt. He has won multiple gold medals at national and police games and took silver at the 33rd US Open Judo Championship in 2022. He has also served as chairman of the Lagos State Judo Association and is currently patron of the Nigerian Police Judo Association.
The appointment carries significant institutional implications. Disu is an AIG, two ranks below the Deputy Inspector-General level. Between 15 and 20 senior officers, all of whom outrank him, now face pressure to resign in accordance with established police convention
