By our reporter 24.2.2026
Embattled Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, was Tuesday forced out of office and Tunji Disu takes over the reins.
According to various media reports President Bola Tinubu asked Mr. Egbetokun to step aside following reports of alleged corrupt practices and human rights abuses. According to presidency sources Tinubu held a closed meeting with Egbetokun at the Presidential Villa where he advised to leave the post.
Egbetokun is expected to hand over to Disu, an Assistant Inspector General of Police with immediate effect in a formal ceremony at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
Egbetokun was appointed as the 22nd Inspector General of Police in June 2023. His confirmation was later ratified by the Nigeria Police Council in October of the same year.
At the time of his appointment, he was close to the mandatory retirement age of 60. This led to legal and political debates about the length of his stay in office.
To address the issue, the National Assembly amended the Police Act in 2024. The amendment allowed an IGP to complete a four-year tenure regardless of age or years already spent in service.
Based on that law, Egbetokun was expected to remain in office until October 2027.
His tenure, however, was marked by public criticism and allegations of human rights violations, especially during protests and security operations across several states.