President Bola Tinubu on Monday, February 23, 2026, appointed Tunji Disu as Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), replacing Kayode Egbetokun, who resigned the same day.
The appointment came just 48 days before Disu would have reached the mandatory retirement age under existing police regulations.
Born on April 13, 1966, Disu enlisted in the Nigeria Police Force on May 18, 1992. Officers are required to retire upon reaching 60 years of age or completing 35 years of service, whichever occurs first.
Had he not been elevated to IGP, Disu would have retired on April 12, 2026.
His promotion to Assistant Inspector General (AIG) came in March 2025, meaning he reached the rank of IGP less than a year later.
Similar to Egbetokun who was appointed the 22nd IGP on June 19, 2023, at age 58 and set to retire on September 4, 2024 Disu’s tenure as IGP is now expected to run the full four-year term, unless he resigns or is removed by the President.
Egbetokun’s retirement was previously extended following amendments to the Police Act by the National Assembly, allowing IGPs to complete their four-year tenure.
Who is Tunji Disu?
Tunji Disu is a career police officer with over three decades of experience in various operational and leadership roles.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in English Education from Lagos State University (LASU), a postgraduate diploma in International Relations and Strategic Studies, and two master’s degrees one in Public Administration from Adekunle Ajasin University and another in Criminology, Security and Legal Psychology from LASU.
Disu has undergone extensive professional training both locally and internationally, including courses on small arms smuggling, internet fraud, strategic leadership, forensic and criminal intelligence.
His career highlights include:
– Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in multiple states
– Leadership of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and anti-kidnapping units
– Second-in-Command of the State Criminal Investigation Department in Rivers State
– Commander of the first Nigerian police contingent on the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) in 2005, serving as acting Chief of Staff in Darfur
– Commander of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS) from 2015 to 2021, earning commendations for crime reduction in Lagos
– Head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in 2021 (previously led by Abba Kyari)
– Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja
– AIG in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos, before his posting back to Lagos earlier this month
Prior to his Lagos posting, Disu was attached to the Special Protection Unit (SPU) at Force Headquarters, Abuja.
His appointment as IGP marks a significant leadership transition in the Nigeria Police Force amid ongoing national security challenges.
