Official Decoration at the State House
President Bola Tinubu has formally decorated Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, as the new Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
The ceremony took place at exactly 3 p.m. inside the President’s office at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, marking a symbolic transition in the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force.
President Tinubu personally pinned the new insignia on Disu’s uniform, alongside Disu’s wife, Mrs. Folashade Disu.
In attendance were Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, the immediate past IGP Kayode Egbetokun, and other senior government officials.
Egbetokun’s Resignation and Behind-the-Scenes Developments
The decoration comes less than 24 hours after Egbetokun submitted his resignation letter, citing family matters that require his full attention.
In a statement released by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the presidency confirmed that Tinubu accepted the resignation and thanked Egbetokun for his service.
However, sources within the Presidency indicate that the former IGP was asked to step down during a private meeting with the President at the Villa.
Acting Role and Legal Backing
Disu’s appointment comes just 48 days before his scheduled retirement on April 13, 2026, when he would reach the mandatory retirement age of 60.
Under the amended Police Act, an Inspector-General is entitled to a fixed four-year tenure regardless of age. If confirmed, Disu could potentially remain in office until 2030.
For now, he serves in an acting capacity pending confirmation by the Nigeria Police Council. Upon Council approval, his name will be forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.
Impending Shake-Up Within the Force
Disu’s emergence is expected to trigger significant changes within the police hierarchy.
Traditionally, when a junior officer is appointed IGP, senior officers may step aside. At least nine serving Deputy Inspectors-General are reportedly positioned for retirement, while between 15 and 20 senior officers could exit the system in the coming days, according to sources within the Police Service Commission.
A formal handover ceremony and parade of senior officers is expected at the Louis Edet House, the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
Profile: Tunji Disu
Born on April 13, 1966, Disu joined the Nigeria Police Force in May 1992 and has spent over three decades in active service.
He gained prominence as Commander of the Rapid Response Squad in Lagos, where he rebranded the unit as “The Good Guys,” earning recognition for coordinated anti-crime operations.
Disu later headed the Intelligence Response Team and served as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory. Before his elevation, he was Assistant Inspector-General in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Alagbon, Lagos.
Beyond his policing career, Disu is also an accomplished judoka, with medals from national and international competitions.
What Comes Next
With the decoration complete, attention now turns to the confirmation process and the structural changes likely to follow within Nigeria’s policing leadership.
His tenure, whether brief or extended to a full four-year term, is expected to reshape the upper ranks of the Force and influence the direction of policing reforms nationwide.
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