President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Olatunji Disu, as Nigeria’s 23rd Inspector‑General of Police (IGP), following Kayode Egbetokun’s resignation.
However, with the appointment of AIG Disu as the new IGP, no fewer than eight Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police would have to leave the Force for Disu to become the substantive IGP.
In a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, Tinubu received Egbetokun’s resignation earlier on Tuesday and expressed his profound appreciation for Egbetokun’s decades of distinguished service to the Nigeria Police Force and the nation.
Confirming Disu’s appointment, the statement reads, “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.
Tunji Disu, as he is generally known, is a career officer with more than three decades of service in the Nigeria Police Force.
Below are ten things to know about the newly appointed Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu.
- Tunji Disu was born on April 13, 1966, in Lagos Island, Lagos State.
- Holds a bachelor’s degree in English Education from Lagos State University (LASU), plus two master’s degrees: Public Administration (Adekunle Ajasin University) and Criminology, Security & Legal Psychology (LASU).
- He joined the police on May 18, 1992, and has served severally as DPO in Ago Iwoye (Ogun State), Ikare (Ondo State), Owo (Ondo State), Elimbu, and Elelenwo in Rivers State
- AIG Disu served as Commissioner of Police in Abuja and previously in Rivers State, with multiple leadership roles, including DPO, SARS commander, and 2IC of CID.
- He was the former head of the Police Force’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT), a position previously held by Abba Kyari, and also served as Principal Staff Officer to Acting IGP Kayode Egbetokun.
- He completed advanced courses in small arms smuggling (Botswana), internet fraud (Cambridge, UK), forensic investigations, criminal intelligence, and strategic leadership.
- He led Lagos State RRS from 2015–2021, rebranding officers as “The Good Guys” and promoting community-focused, problem-solving policing.
- The new IGP is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and several other global professional policing and forensic bodies.
- He served as contingent commander for Nigeria’s first African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) in 2005 and acted as Chief of Staff in Darfur.
- He has a third dan black belt and has won multiple national and international medals, including silver at the 2022 U.S. Open Judo Championship; former Chairman of Lagos State Judo Association and a patron of the Nigerian Police Judo Association.
- Under Disu’s command, RRS received “Best Anti-Crime Police Squad in West Africa” (2016), and he personally earned “Most Outstanding Anti-Crime Police Chief” in West and Central Africa (2019) and CRAN’s “Man of the Year” (2019).
Below are the DIGs to be affected:
Frank Mba
Frank Mba began his policing career as an Inspector and steadily rose through the ranks. In 1999, he was promoted to Assistant Superintendent of Police, followed by Deputy Superintendent of Police in 2003.
He was promoted to Superintendent of Police (SP) in 2008, Chief Superintendent of Police in 2012, Assistant Commissioner of Police in 2014, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in 2018, and Commissioner of Police in December 2020. In March 2023, he was decorated as an Assistant Inspector-General of Police.
He is a three-time National Spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force and has received the UN Medal for his service as a member of the Nigeria Police Contingent to the United Nations Mission in Liberia from 2006 to 2007
Mohammed Gumel
Mohammed Gumel assumed duty as the 4th Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Intelligence Department at the Force Headquarters in Abuja in late December 2025/early January 2026. He is a seasoned officer, known for community policing.
The Force Intelligence Department is the apex intelligence-gathering arm of the Nigeria Police Force. He formerly served as a Commissioner of Police and was notably recognized as the best Community Policing Advocate of the Year (2024). He holds the FIPMA (Fellow, Institute of Professional Managers and Administrators) and psc (Police Staff College) designations.
Adebola Hamzat
Adebola Hamzat currently serves as the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Department of Logistics and Supply of the Nigeria Police Force. He was appointed and decorated as a Deputy Inspector-General of Police in March 2025.
ALSO READ: 10 things to know about newly appointed IGP, Tunji Disu
As the head of the Department of Logistics and Supply, he oversees the technical, administrative, and logistical needs of the entire Nigeria Police Force, including procurement, works, housing, and the Force Quarter-Master.
Previous Roles: Before his elevation to DIG, he served as the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 16, Yenagoa (covering Bayelsa and Rivers States). He was also the Commissioner of Police for Oyo State and the former AIG in charge of the Counter Terrorism Unit. He is an indigene of Ifelodun L.G.A of Kwara State.
Yahaya Abubakar
Yahaya Abubakar is a senior Deputy Inspector-General of Police in the Nigeria Police Force who most recently served as the Head of the Department of Finance and Administration at Police Force Headquarters, Abuja. He was appointed to lead the Department of Finance and Administration, which oversees the financial management, budgeting, human resources, and administrative processes of the Force.
DIG Abubakar was appointed to the position following his promotion by the Police Service Commission in 2024, having previously served in senior roles such as Assistant Inspector-General and Zone Commander
Basil Idegwu
Basil Idegwu was appointed to lead the Department of Research and Planning at the Force Headquarters in Abuja as of March 2025. He is responsible for strategic planning, policy formulation, and enhancing the Force’s operational efficiency.
He holds a Ph.D. in Peace and Security Studies. Idegwu heads a key department focused on ensuring standards, uniformity, and modernisation in policing services.
Bzigu Kwazhi
Bzigu Kwazhi is a senior officer in the Nigeria Police Force, currently serving as the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Department of Operations.
He is responsible for leading, coordinating, and implementing operational activities, crime prevention strategies, and maintaining law and order across Nigeria. As the head of the Department of Operations, he manages tactical operations, joint security operations (with the military), and policies for controlling incidents like riots, disasters, and elections.
In 2025, he has been actively involved in high-level security assessments, including leading operations to restore peace in Plateau State and Adamawa State. He is a seasoned officer with extensive field experience, having previously served as the Commissioner of Police in both Osun and Akwa Ibom State.
Idris Abubakar
Idris Abubakar was appointed into the Nigeria Police Force as a cadet ASP on 18/5/1992. He hails from Garko LGA of Kano State. He holds a B.Sc. in Education from Utman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, and an M.Sc. in Education, in Psychology and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Abuja.
Adebowale William
Adebowale Williams is a senior Nigerian police officer serving at the rank of Deputy Inspector-General of Police in the Nigeria Police Force. He held/has held a key leadership role as the Head of the Department of Information and Communication Technology at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
He was appointed to lead the Department of Information and Communication Technology within the NPF. This department is responsible for managing and advancing the Force’s technological infrastructure, systems, and digital tools to support modern policing.
