President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appointment of Olatunji Disu as Acting Inspector General of Police marks a consequential moment for Nigeria’s security architecture. Disu steps into the role following the exit of Kayode Egbetokun, bringing with him a career that blends field command, intelligence operations and international exposure. A former Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory and Rivers State, and immediate past head of the Intelligence Response Team. Disu has built a résumé defined by operational intensity. His academic grounding in English Education from Lagos State University, complemented by master’s degrees in Public Administration from Adekunle Ajasin University and Criminology, Security and Legal Psychology, underscores a rare mix of scholarship and street-level policing.
Born in Lagos Island in 1966 and enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force in 1992, Disu’s ascent has been forged through some of the country’s toughest assignments. From serving as Divisional Police Officer across Ogun, Ondo and Rivers States to commanding SARS and anti-kidnapping units, he earned a reputation for tactical resolve. His leadership of the Lagos Rapid Response Squad between 2015 and 2021 became a defining chapter. There, he championed community-centered policing, crime mapping and hot-spot patrols while institutionalizing first aid and emergency response training for officers. During the 2020 End SARS protests, his decision to deploy ambulances to assist injured civilians signaled a pragmatic understanding of policing by consent. Earlier, he led Nigeria’s first police contingent to the African Union Mission in Sudan, serving in Darfur as Acting Chief of Staff. Commendations followed, including regional security awards and recognition for operational excellence, alongside his promotion to Commissioner of Police in 2023.
Yet the office he now occupies is less about past medals, including his decorated career as a third dan black belt judoka and international competitor and more about institutional reform. As a member of global professional bodies such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Disu inherits a force burdened by public skepticism, rising criminal sophistication and urgent calls for accountability. His tenure at the Intelligence Response Team demonstrated capacity in tackling organized fraud and violent crime, but leading the entire police establishment will demand strategic clarity, transparency and political dexterity. Nigeria’s security challenges are complex and deeply rooted; success will require sustaining public trust while delivering measurable reductions in crime. The new Acting IGP arrives with applause and with expectations that will test prove that disciplined leadership can translate into enduring institutional change.
