On Thursday, Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu honored his predecessor Kayode Egbetokun, characterizing his tenure in the Nigeria Police Force as characterized by professionalism, commitment, and great leadership.
Disu gave a speech at the pulling-out event held at the Force Headquarters in Abuja to honor the departed police chief.
During his speech, Disu discussed how the two officials first worked together when serving in Lagos State during President Bola Tinubu’s tenure as the state’s governor.
The police chief claims that they first met while he was an Aide-de-Camp and Egbetokun was the Lagos State Governor’s Chief Security Officer.
“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, was a defining chapter in his professional life,” Disu stated.
Our career paths came together in a very memorable way during that time.
“I had the honor of serving as the governor’s aide-de-camp while IGP Egbetokun (retd.) was his chief security officer.
We shared the duty of guaranteeing the security and safety of the Governor and the Lagos State Government while cooperating under difficult conditions.
According to Disu, neither of them could have predicted at the time that Egbetokun would eventually take over as Inspector-General of Police.
“At that time, neither of us could have imagined that years later, destiny would place him at the head of the Nigeria Police Force as Inspector General of Police, and that I would have the honor of succeeding him in that office,” he continued.
It is undoubtedly one of those amazing historical coincidences that serves as a reminder of the unexpected ways in which the threads of service can occasionally weave themselves across time.
Egbetokun served in a variety of operational, command, and training capacities around the nation, and the IGP emphasized his continuous ascent through the ranks of the police service.
He mentioned that Egbetokun has managed Police Mobile Force operations, directed the Rapid Response Squad in Lagos, and held the position of Area Commander in Osogbo and Gusau.
During his time as Commandant of the Police Training School in Ikeja and later as Deputy Commandant of the Police College in the same city, Disu also praised his contributions to police training and development.
He claims that Egbetokun’s ambition to create a professional, customer-focused, and amiable police force served as the foundation for his leadership as Inspector-General of Police.
According to the police chief, Egbetokun implemented changes meant to boost professionalism, operational effectiveness, and public confidence in law enforcement.
The former IGP, he continued, emphasized intelligence-driven policing, improved training, and reaffirmed institutional values like discipline, accountability, and service.
According to Disu, the Nigeria Police Force was able to handle difficult security issues thanks to Egbetokun’s leadership style, which was characterized by composure, depth of thought, and strategic vision.
Reforms Highlighted by the Former IGP
Egbetokun listed a number of institutional enhancements and reforms that were put into place during his term in his own address.
According to him, attempts were taken to bolster intelligence-led police, encourage merit-based advancement, and enhance professionalism.
He said that the Legal and Medical divisions were promoted to directorate status, while the Intelligence Bureau was enlarged and upgraded to a full department led by a Deputy Inspector-General of Police.
According to Egbetokun, the police cybercrime center has been updated to a state-of-the-art facility that can monitor Nigeria’s online and assist with contemporary investigations.
He continued by saying that improvements to the National Criminal Database and more professional training across commands up to the divisional level enhanced the force’s ability to conduct investigations.
The force increased its operational presence by creating new Area Commands, Divisions, and Police Mobile Force squadrons, according to the former police head.
He continued by saying that the Special Intervention Squad, which was established during his administration, had noteworthy accomplishments all around the nation.
Egbetokun also mentioned advancements in police infrastructure, such as the opening of contemporary state command headquarters in Ogun and Adamawa states and the completion of barracks renovation projects in Kano and Kaduna.
On June 19, 2023, President Bola Tinubu named Egbetokun Inspector-General of Police. Disu was appointed as his replacement after he resigned from office on February 24.
When he reached the mandatory retirement age of 60 on September 4, 2024, his extended tenure in office sparked controversy.
But after the Police Act was amended, his term was prolonged.
