In a major shakeup at the helm of the Nigeria Police Force, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has resigned his position following a directive from President Bola Tinubu.
Sources within the presidency have confirmed to that Mr. Egbetokun was asked to resign during a meeting with the President at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday. He is set to be succeeded by Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Tunji Disu.
Although an official statement is yet to be released, insiders at both the presidency and the Force Headquarters in Abuja indicate that preparations for a formal handover ceremony are already in motion.
Mr. Egbetokun was appointed as the 22nd Indigenous IGP by President Tinubu on June 19, 2023, with his appointment receiving confirmation from the Nigeria Police Council on October 31 of the same year. At 58 at the time of his appointment, he was originally slated for retirement on September 4, 2024, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60.
However, an amendment to the Police Act by the National Assembly altered his tenure, allowing him to serve a full four-year term. This amendment stipulated that an appointed IGP is entitled to remain in office for a fixed term of four years, irrespective of age or years of service. Consequently, Mr. Egbetokun was expected to remain in office until October 31, 2027.
His tenure, however, was not without controversy, facing public criticism and allegations of human rights abuses.
As of the time of filing this report, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga and Force Public Relations Officer Ben Hundeyin could not be reached for comments. However, a presidency source has assured that a formal announcement regarding the transition is expected later today, Tuesday.
