By Ghazali Ibrahim
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally decorated Assistant Inspector-General Olatunji Disu as the new Acting Inspector-General of Police, in a ceremony held at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday afternoon.
The decoration, which took place around 3 p.m., marked Disu’s official assumption of leadership of the Nigeria Police Force following the resignation of former IGP Olukayode Egbetokun, who stepped down citing pressing family considerations.
President Tinubu pinned Disu’s new rank during the expanded swearing-in ceremony, attended by senior government officials including the National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, and the outgoing IGP himself. Family members of Disu were also present.
Disu becomes the 23rd head of the Nigeria Police Force and takes charge at a critical time for national security and internal law enforcement.
Before his elevation, Disu served as Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Lagos, where he was responsible for crime-fighting operations nationwide.
Prior to that, he led strategic units such as the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Lagos and the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), and also served as Commissioner of Police in both the Federal Capital Territory and Rivers State.
The new Acting IGP is set to lead Nigeria’s police during ongoing efforts to tackle complex security challenges, while stakeholders await formal confirmation by the Nigeria Police Council and subsequent Senate approval in line with the Police Act 2020.
Disu’s appointment comes just 48 days before his scheduled retirement at age 60 on April 13, 2026.
However, under the amended Police Act, which allows Inspectors-General to serve a four-year term regardless of age, he could remain in office until 2030 pending confirmation.
President Tinubu used the occasion to commend Egbetokun’s service to the nation and emphasize his administration’s commitment to strengthening the professionalism and accountability of the Nigeria Police Force.
Disu now faces the dual tasks of leading the nation’s police at a challenging time and bridging internal expectations within the force while tackling rising security concerns across the country.
