On Tuesday, February 24, President Bola Tinubu accepted the resignation of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and approved Tunji Disu’s appointment as Acting Inspector-General of Police, effective immediately.
Egbetokun had earlier offered his resignation letter on Tuesday, citing pressing family matters among other things.
Recall that Egbetokun was appointed in June 2023 and was intended to serve a four-year term that would end in June 2027 in accordance with the modified terms of the Police Act.
Bayo Onanuga, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, said in a statement that the President received the letter earlier on Tuesday and thanked him for his service to the country.
He also commended Egbetokun’s “decades of distinguished service to the Nigeria Police Force and the nation,” acknowledging his “dedication, professionalism, and steadfast commitment to strengthening internal security architecture during his tenure.”
In view of the current security challenges confronting the nation, and acting in accordance with extant laws and legal guidance, President Tinubu has approved the appointment of Assistant Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu to serve as Acting Inspector-General of Police with immediate effect.
“The President is confident that AIG Disu’s experience, operational depth, and demonstrated leadership capacity will provide steady and focused direction for the Nigeria Police Force during this critical period,” the statement read.
It added that in compliance with the provisions of the Police Act 2020, the President will soon convene a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council to formally consider Disu’s appointment as substantive Inspector-General of Police, after which his name will be forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.
24 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Olatunji Tunde Disu, the New Inspector General of Police
He was born on 13 April 1966 on Lagos Island
He attended Holy Cross Cathedral Primary School
He later completed his primary school education at Mayflower Junior School in Ikenne, Ogun State (1979)
He started his secondary school education at Pobuna Secondary Grammar School (Epe)
He later completed it at St Gregory’s College, Lagos (graduated 1985)
He attended the Lagos State University (LASU) where he graduated with a B.A. in English (Education)
He also earned his Post‑Graduate Diploma in International Relations & Strategic Studies in Lagos State University (LASU)
He obtained a Certificate in Personal Protection from the United Kingdom
He holds two master’s degrees: MPA from Adekunle Ajasin University (2010) and M.Sc. in Criminology, Security & Legal Psychology from LASU (2022)
He’s also taken professional courses in Botswana, Cambridge (UK), Jos, and UNILAG
He joined the Nigeria Police Force on 18 May 1992
He once served as the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ogun, Ondo and Rivers States
He served as Commander of Lagos’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS) from 2015‑2021
He introduced crime‑mapping, hotspot policing and first‑aid training for patrol teams while serving as Commander of Lagos’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS)
In 2021 he became head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) after Abba Kyari
He later held positions as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja)
He was later appointed as Assistant Inspector‑General in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos
He completed numerous overseas courses (small‑arms smuggling in Botswana, internet‑fraud at Cambridge, strategic leadership at the Police Staff College, Jos, and forensic investigation at UNILAG)
He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police
He’s also a third‑dan black‑belt judoka, with national and international medals
He also served as chairman of the Lagos State Judo Association
In 2005 he led Nigeria’s first police contingent to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) and served as acting Chief of Staff in Darfur
After returning, he headed the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) from August 2021, succeeding Abba Kyari, and later served as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja)
He holds a BA in English Education from Lagos State University and two master’s degrees—Public Administration (Adekunle Ajasin University) and Criminology, Security & Legal Psychology (LASU)