Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has appointed Assistant Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu as Acting Inspector-General of Police, following the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun, as the country battles worsening security threats across several regions.
The appointment was announced Tuesday evening by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has accepted the resignation of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, following the submission of his letter citing pressing family considerations,” the statement read.
“In view of the current security challenges confronting the nation, and acting in accordance with extant laws and legal guidance, President Tinubu has approved the appointment of Assistant Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu to serve as Acting Inspector-General of Police with immediate effect.”
In line with local laws, Tinubu is expected to convene a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council to formally consider Disu’s appointment as substantive Inspector-General of Police. His name will subsequently be transmitted to the Senate for confirmation.
Mounting security pressures
Disu takes over at a critical time for Africa’s most populous nation, which is confronting one of its most complex security landscapes in years.
Nigeria in 2026 faces a multi-layered security crisis. The insurgency in the northeast, led by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Daesh, continues to pose a threat despite years of military operations.
In the northwest, banditry and mass kidnappings for ransom have become widespread, targeting rural communities, highways and even schools. Several states in the region remain under constant threat from heavily armed criminal gangs operating from forest enclaves.
Urban crime, economic hardship and rising youth unemployment have further compounded instability nationwide. In some instances, police stations have come under direct attack, underscoring the strain on law enforcement agencies.
New boss profile
Until his latest appointment, Disu served as Assistant Inspector-General in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Lagos. He was promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General last year.
Previously, he served as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State before being redeployed to Abuja as Commissioner of Police of the Federal Capital Territory.
Disu is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and formerly headed the Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force — a unit once led by embattled senior officer Abba Kyari.
Born on April 13, 1966, Disu has also served as Officer in Charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and led anti-kidnapping operations in Rivers State.
In 2005, he headed the first Nigerian Police contingent to the African Union peacekeeping mission in Sudan, serving in Darfur where he was appointed acting Chief of Staff before returning to Nigeria in 2006.
Disu’s appointment brings to an end Egbetokun’s tenure, which began in 2023. Tinubu appointed him as the 22nd Inspector-General of Police on June 19, 2023, and the Nigeria Police Council confirmed his substantive appointment on October 31 of the same year.
