IGP Egbetokun’s Sack, Disu’s Appointment, To Trigger Retirement Of Polce Mgt. Team, Others

By Ayodele Oni

The unexpected retirement of Dr. Kayode Egbetokun as the Inspector General of Police came to most Nigerians as a shock.

Afterall, many see him as President Bola “Tinubu’s Boy”. One of those in the kitchen cabinet. Their relationship stretch to when the President was the Governor of Lagos State and Egbetokun, a young officer then, his trusted Chief Security Officer. Their relationship endured.

It was no surprise, then, that soon after Tinubu was sworn-in as the President in 2023, he appointed Egbetokun, a PhD holder in Mathematics, as the 22nd Indigenous IGP on  19th June. And he did more.

At the time of that appointment, Egbetokun was 58 years old. Meaning that given Public Service Rule, he ought to have retired on clocking age 60.

But the President would have none of that.

A couple of weeks to his retirement age, the National Assembly, with a nudge from the President, reviewed the appointment of IGPs and promulgated the law that, once an IGP is appointed, he must serve out his four-year tenure – 60 years of age or not, 35 years in service or not – unless removed by the President. With that, Egbetokun, who should have retired on September 4, 2024, had his retirement date extended to 31st October, 2027.

But that ended on February, 24, when President Tinubu unexpectedly pulled the rug from under Egbetokun’s feet.

No one can quite say if Egbetokun had any inkling of the fate that befell him on Tuesday except for when, according to reports, the President invited him on Monday and dropped the bomb of his retirement.

It was a shock to him, said a source, and must have had an uncomfortable night.

But in a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, the Presidency said that Egbetokun resigned on Tuesday, citing serious family issues which requires his undivided attention.

“The IGP resigned in a letter today, citing family issues which require his undivided attention”, part of the statement read.

However, inside sources insist he was forced to resign for a number of reasons which include the  increasing kidnapping cases in the country and unresolved murders.

Yet, Egbetokun is  not the only one who may have had an uncomfortable night, tossing around and about the bed. For, if the yet to be confirmed (as the time of filing this report),  appointment of Assistant Inspector General of Police  Tunji Disu as Egbetokun’s successor, then, at least over 20 Senior Police 0fficers will go with him. The retirements will begin with the Police Management Team, which includes all the Deputy Inspectors General of Police, DIG. They will be followed by all the Assistant Inspectors General of Police, senior to Disu. And, thereafter, many moving around of Senior Police Officers, especially, State Police Commissioners.

Disu is the AIG in charge of Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos.