Lucky Man? Tunji Disu appointed Inspector General of Police 48 days to retirement

On 24 February, President Bola Tinubu appointed Tunji Disu as Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), succeeding Kayode Egbetokun, who resigned on Tuesday.

Mr Disu was promoted to the position of Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police in March 2025, and became an IGP less than a year after that promotion.

Mr Disu’s appointment came at a time when he was close to reaching the mandatory retirement age prescribed by law. He was born on 13 April 1966 and enlisted in the Nigeria Police Force on 18 May 1992.

Under existing police regulations, officers are required to retire upon reaching 60 years of age or completing 35 years of service, whichever comes first. Had he not been appointed IGP, Mr Disu would have reached the age limit in 48 days.

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Although he will only mark 35 years in service in May 2027, his elevation to the position of IGP means he is now expected to serve a four-year tenure, unless he resigns or is removed by the president.

The same scenario played out with Mr Egbetokun, who was appointed the 22nd IGP on 19 June 2023, with his substantive appointment confirmed by the Nigeria Police Council on 31 October 2023.

Appointed IGP at age 58, Mr Egbetokun was initially set to retire on 4 September 2024 upon attaining the compulsory age of 60. However, following amendments to the Police Act by the National Assembly, IGPs are now permitted to complete their full four-year tenure unless they resign or are removed by the president.

Mr Egbetokun was expected to remain in office until 31 October 2027 before his resignation on Tuesday.

Who is Mr Disu?

Mr Disu is a career police officer with more than three decades of experience across multiple operational and leadership roles in the police.

Born on 13 April 1966 on Lagos Island, he began his career in law enforcement when he joined the Nigeria Police Force on 18 May 1992.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in English Education from Lagos State University (LASU), along with a postgraduate diploma in International Relations and Strategic Studies and two master’s degrees—one in Public Administration from Adekunle Ajasin University and another in Criminology, Security and Legal Psychology from LASU.

Mr Disu has undergone extensive professional training both within Nigeria and abroad, including programmes on small arms smuggling, internet fraud, strategic leadership, forensic and criminal intelligence.

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His police career includes serving as Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in various states, leading special units such as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and anti-kidnapping teams, and acting as second-in-command of the State Criminal Investigation Department in Rivers State.

In 2005, he led the first Nigerian police contingent on the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), serving as acting Chief of Staff in Darfur.

Between 2015 and 2021, Mr Disu commanded the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS), a police unit which received accolades for reducing crime in Lagos.

In 2021, he was appointed head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), a position previously held by disgraced super cop Abba Kyari, and later served as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Before his appointment as IGP, he was an AIG in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos. He was posted to Lagos earlier this month.

Before his posting to Lagos, Mr Disu was attached to the Special Protection Unit (SPU), Force Headquarters, Abuja.