President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Assistant Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu as the Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), following the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun.
The appointment was announced on Tuesday evening by the President’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, who said the decision was taken in view of the prevailing security challenges facing the country and in line with extant laws.
According to the statement, President Tinubu will, in compliance with the Police Act 2020, convene a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council to formally consider Disu’s appointment as substantive IGP, after which his name will be forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.
As the new acting police chief assumes leadership of the Nigeria Police Force, attention has turned to his background, credentials, and career trajectory. Below are five key facts about Acting IGP Tunji Disu:
World-Class Athlete
Beyond his policing career, Disu is an accomplished judoka with international exposure.
In August 2022, he won a silver medal at the U.S. Open Judo Championship, competing in the minus 100kg category of the veterans’ division in Brookline, Massachusetts, United States.
Champion of Police Rebranding
During his tenure as Commander of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Lagos between 2015 and 2021, Disu spearheaded a rebranding initiative that earned the unit the nickname “The Good Guys.” The initiative was widely seen as a deliberate effort to build public trust and promote a more humane approach to policing in the state.
Strong Academic Profile
Disu is regarded as one of the most academically decorated senior officers in the force. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Education from the Lagos State University, a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Adekunle Ajasin University, and an additional Master’s degree in Criminology, Security and Legal Psychology from Lagos State University.
Broad Command Experience
The Lagos-born officer has served in several strategic roles across the country.
He was Commissioner of Police in Rivers State from November 2023, where he was credited with dismantling criminal networks and reducing crime rates. On September 19, 2025, he was redeployed as Commissioner of Police in the Abuja.
Disu also previously headed the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), taking over leadership in August 2021 under former IGP Usman Alkali Baba.
Return to Abuja
Until his latest appointment, Disu was serving as Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) at Alagbon, Lagos. His elevation as Acting IGP marks a return to Abuja, where he served as police commissioner only months ago.
A New Task at Louis Edet House
With nearly three decades of service since joining the police in 1992, Disu now assumes office at the Louis Edet House amid high public expectations. Many Nigerians believe his “policing with a human face” philosophy will be crucial in confronting the nation’s complex security challenges and restoring public confidence in law enforcement.
