President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday decorated Mr Tunji Disu with the rank of Acting Inspector-General of Police at the State House, Abuja, marking a fresh transition in the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force.
The decoration followed his swearing-in and took place at about 3 p.m. during an expanded session attended by senior government officials and top security chiefs.
With his elevation, the 59-year-old officer becomes the 23rd Inspector-General of Police in Nigeria.
Disu arrived at the Presidential Villa around 2:50 p.m. ahead of the ceremony and held a brief meeting with the President, in what officials described as a significant moment for the Force.
His appointment was approved on Tuesday after his predecessor, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, stepped down from office. The resignation was confirmed the same day.
In a statement issued by the President’s spokesman, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday, the President accepted Egbetokun’s resignation following a letter in which the former police chief cited urgent family matters.
Egbetokun had served as Inspector-General since 2023.
Disu’s appointment takes immediate effect, subject to confirmation by the Senate in line with the provisions of the Police Act, 2020. The Nigeria Police Council is also expected to meet to consider his nomination for substantive appointment.
Prior to his elevation, Disu was Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Alagbon, Lagos.
He previously served as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. He also headed the Intelligence Response Team, leading several high-profile operations across the country.
A member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Disu brings decades of operational and administrative experience to the office.
Notably, his appointment comes 48 days before his mandatory retirement upon attaining 60 years of age or completing 35 years of service, as stipulated by police regulations.
The development also comes amid the 2024 amendment to the Police Act, which introduced a fixed four-year tenure for Inspectors-General of Police.
However, Egbetokun’s exit has triggered a new leadership transition within the Force.
Those in attendance at the ceremony included the immediate past Inspector-General, Egbetokun; the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; the Commander, Brigade of Guards; and other senior security officials. Disu’s parents were also said to be present.
