The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun on Tuesday resigned from office, paving the way for the appointment of Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, as the new police boss ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Disu, who was promoted to the rank of AIG in March 2025, is expected to take over from Egbetokun who was appointed by the President on June 19, 2023.

The IG’s continued stay in office sparked widespread controversy in 2024 after Egbetokun officially reached the mandatory retirement age of 60 on September 4.

However, his stay in office was extended following the amendment to the Police Act.

Speaking with one of our correspondents, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga confirmed that Egbetokun resigned his appointment, citing family issues that require his undivided attention.

He disclosed that the former IG submitted his resignation letter on Tuesday.

“The IG resigned in a letter today, citing family issues which require his undivided attention,” he said.

However, multiple Presidency sources said Egbetokun was asked to step down during a meeting with President  Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday evening.

“It was in that meeting he was asked to go,” a senior official said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The IG’s official vehicle was sighted at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa around 6:40 pm on Monday.

He later returned to the State House at about 8:00 pm, where his vehicle was searched by operatives of the Department of State Services.

Tinubu accepts resignation

Tinubu accepted Egbetokun’s resignation and appointed AIG Disu as acting Inspector-General of Police with immediate effect, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

A State House statement  on Tuesday by Onanuga said Egbetokun submitted his resignation letter citing pressing family considerations.

“Citing the current security challenges confronting the country, and acting in accordance with extant laws and legal guidance, the President approved the appointment of Disu in an acting capacity.

“The President is confident that AIG Disu’s experience, operational depth, and demonstrated leadership capacity will provide steady and focused direction for the Nigeria Police Force during this critical period,” the statement read.

He added that in compliance with the provisions of the Police Act 2020, the President would convene a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council to formally consider Disu’s appointment as  substantive IG after which his name would be transmitted to the Senate for confirmation.

“In compliance with the provisions of the Police Act 2020, President Tinubu will convene a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council shortly to formally consider the appointment of AIG Disu as substantive Inspector-General of Police, after which his name will be transmitted to the Senate for confirmation.

“The President reiterates his administration’s unwavering commitment to enhancing national security, strengthening institutional capacity, and ensuring that the Nigeria Police Force remains professional, accountable, and fully equipped to discharge its constitutional responsibilities”, he said.

Before his latest appointment, Disu served as Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Alagbon, Lagos, a position he assumed in February 2026.

Prior to that, he headed the Special Protection Unit at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, from March 2025 to February 2026.

He also served as Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory Police Command from October 2024 to March 2025, and at the Rivers State Police Command from November 2023 to October 2024.

Earlier, he led the Intelligence Response Team as Deputy Commissioner of Police, and also served as DCP, Admin Operations, at Force Headquarters.

Between 2015 and 2021, Disu was the Commander of the Rapid Response Squad, Lagos.

Losers and winners

Meanwhile, the appointment of Disu may trigger the resignation of some senior officers in line with established police tradition.

A source within the Police Service Commission said the new development could lead to the exit of between 15 and 20 senior officers who are Disu’s seniors.

“Going by recent practice, Disu’s seniors might have to submit their resignation letters. We might have those who may wish to stay behind and salute their juniors. The fact is that among the DIGs, we have people whose colleagues are still ACPs. Somebody like DIG Frank Mba, though those he joined the force with  as cadets are still DCPs and the likes.

“Apart from the nine DIGs, the AIGs who are senior to him are not many. Between 15 and 20 may resign,” the source noted.

Police insiders noted that while resignation of senior officers is entrenched in police culture, similar to the military, there have been instances where affected officers chose to remain in service despite the appointment of their juniors.

““Resignation of senior officers is not as entrenched in the police culture like in the military. It has happened in the past that some seniors did not resign, and it has also happened that they resigned.

“The DIGs who are senior to the acting IG head key departments such as Finance and Administration, DIG Yahaya Abubakar; Operations, Bzigu Kwazhi; Logistics and Supply, Adebola Hamzat; Force Criminal Investigation Department, Sadiq Abubakar; Training and Development, Frank Mba; Research and Planning, Basil Idegwu; Information and Communication Technology,  and the Force Intelligence Bureau, Mohammed Gumel,” a police source told our correspondent.

Also, some Commissioners of Police and other officers would benefit from the vacuum that would be created by the likely retirement of the DIGs and affected AIGs.

According to sources,  some of them would be promoted to fill up available positions,  while others would be elevated to vacant ranks.

“Should those DIG and AIGs who are senior to resign, there would be space for AIGs who are his juniors and CPs to move up. Also, DCPs and others would also benefit from that process, “ a source told one of our correspondents.

Ex-police chiefs react

Retired police officers expressed support for the new police chief, while calling for adherence to Force tradition.

Ali Amodu, a retired AIG, said the development was consistent with police tradition, stressing that the DIGs would likely resign alongside Egbetokun.

“He (Disu) is a junior to the DIGs. By Force tradition, they are not supposed to be there. The DIGs cannot be there. Don’t you see what is happening in the military? Don’t you see the military tradition? If Disu is confirmed, the DIGs are supposed to go,” he said.

He added, “It’s just the AIGs who would remain although this is at the discretion of the President and the police service commission. They are of the same rank, even if there are some of them that are senior to him as AIG. But that is even permissible, but the DIGs will have to go, That’s the way I see it.”

Amodu said the practice was rooted in discipline within the Force. “It has been like that because of the norms of discipline in the force,” he said.

On the security challenges confronting the country, he said, “If he’s to come in, we pray for him. There are a lot of challenges. There are a lot of challenges in the area of security.”

Speaking on ways to tackle the challenge, he reiterated his long-standing support for decentralisation of the police, saying, “Let the force be decentralised. The federal police and others, this thing can be there. And the issue of law enforcement, basically, what is happening all over the world now, including Britain, is a decentralised force. It’s better managed if it is decentralised.”

Wilson Inalegwu, another retired AIG, described the change in leadership as a normal development aimed at injecting fresh ideas into the system.

“The security situation that is besetting the country is very serious, and I think the government should look at the situation at hand and say, look, let us eject, let us add impetus to the effort we are making, and then in that way, you can bring fresh ideas,” he said.

He noted that Egbetokun has done his best. “Egbetokun has completed his service, and he has done the best he can do. So, it’s good that the president has got a fresh hand, and I think it’s not a bad thing because it happens all the time.”

Drawing an analogy with sports, he said, “Even the football match that we watch, there are times the coach will look at the way the team is going and decide, look, let me bring fresh legs. So, I think that is what has happened.”

On the fate of senior officers, Inalegwu said, “I think most of them will take their leave because that has been the practice, because of the nature of the job. There is a level of regimentation, even though it’s a civilian police force.”

He added that it would be “healthier for the work environment that they take their leave and then allow the new IG to constitute his management team.”

Similarly, ex-DIG Adedayo Adeoye said, “Normally, the DIGs are supposed to leave. Even any AIG that is senior to him, unless the new IG wants to retain any of them. The discretion is now with him, the new IG.”

He congratulated Disu, saying, “I congratulate the new IG and I wish him the best of luck because we have a lot of challenges in the country now, security-wise.”

For his part, retired AIG Lawrence Alobi said discipline and administrative order demanded a change in the top hierarchy.

“That would depend on the new IG and also for the purpose of discipline, you know, it’s not very good for them to stay. They should also leave with honour and so that the IG now brings new officers to come on board as management team with him,” he said.

He stressed that the DIGs are supposed to constitute the management team of the force.

“He cannot be sitting with those who were senior to him as his main team. No, that would not be too good in terms of administration, in terms of discipline,” he pointed out.

Alobi expressed confidence in the acting IG, describing him as “a seasoned police officer who has gone through the ranks and a man of capacity, a man of robust intellectual capacity and operational capacity”

“And I’m sure he will not let Mr. President down. He will not let the country down,” he said.