President Bola Tinubu has directed Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to resign, according to multiple government sources, marking a significant leadership change in Africa’s most populous country’s security establishment.
President Tinubu asked Egbetokun to step down during a private meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday, officials said, amid ongoing debates over police leadership and reform.
Egbetokun, who served as Nigeria’s 22nd Inspector-General of Police since his appointment in June 2023, was widely expected to serve until 2027 following a 2024 amendment to the national Police Act.
In his place, Assistant Inspector-General Tunji Disu currently in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Lagos has been nominated as the incoming chief of the Nigeria Police Force. Preparations for a formal handover are reportedly underway, though an official announcement has not yet been released.
The leadership transition comes as Nigeria grapples with persistent security challenges and public calls for increased accountability within its policing system.
