The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, on Thursday paid glowing tribute to his predecessor, Kayode Egbetokun, during a pulling-out ceremony at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, marking the retirement of the former police chief after decades of service.
Disu recounted their early professional relationship while serving under Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State. Egbetokun had served as Chief Security Officer to the governor, while Disu was his Aide-de-Camp.
“A defining chapter in his professional life was his service in Lagos State Government House, where he served as Chief Security Officer to the Governor of Lagos State, at a time when His Excellency, Senator Bola Tinubu, now President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was Governor. It was during that period that our professional paths intersected in a most memorable way,” Disu said.
He added that neither of them could have foreseen that years later Egbetokun would rise to become the Inspector-General of Police and that Disu would eventually succeed him. “It is indeed one of those remarkable coincidences of history that reminds us how the threads of service sometimes weave themselves across time in unexpected ways,” he noted.
Disu highlighted Egbetokun’s steady rise through the ranks, serving in key command, operational, and training roles across the country, including commanding the Rapid Response Squad in Lagos, Police Mobile Force operations, and as Area Commander in Osogbo and Gusau. He also commended Egbetokun’s contributions to police training and capacity development as Commandant of the Police Training School, Ikeja, and Deputy Commandant of the Police College, Ikeja.
The outgoing IGP praised Egbetokun’s tenure for its vision to build a professionally competent, service-driven, rule-of-law-compliant, and people-friendly police force. Disu noted that his predecessor implemented reforms to strengthen operational efficiency, enhance professionalism, develop personnel, and deepen public trust in policing. Intelligence-driven policing, enhanced training, and reinforcement of core institutional values such as discipline, accountability, and service were among the hallmarks of Egbetokun’s leadership.
Egbetokun, in his own remarks, highlighted the reforms achieved during his tenure, including upgrading the Intelligence Bureau to a full department, elevating the Legal and Medical units to directorate status, and expanding the cybercrime centre to a sophisticated facility. Operational capacity was strengthened through improvements to the National Criminal Database, additional Police Mobile Force squadrons, new Area Commands, Divisions, and the Special Intervention Squad. Infrastructure improvements included barracks redevelopment in Kano and Kaduna and commissioning of modern state command headquarters in Ogun and Adamawa.
Appointed by President Tinubu on June 19, 2023, Egbetokun resigned on February 24, 2026, paving the way for Disu’s appointment. His extended stay in office had previously sparked debate after he reached the mandatory retirement age of 60 in September 2024, a situation later regularised by amendments to the Police Act.
Disu concluded by commending Egbetokun’s calm, strategic, and visionary leadership, noting that his predecessor had successfully guided the Nigeria Police Force through complex security challenges during his tenure.
