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Tinubu Tasks IGP Disu To Lead Police Firmly, Restore Public Confidence
President Bola Tinubu has said he made the decision to hand Acting Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu the new role as police chief based on his good track record in the force.
Tinubu charged Disu to be fair and firm in the discharge of his duties.
The president, who assured Disu of his full sup-port in his new role, further tasked him to restore peace and strengthen security across the country.
Tinubu spoke on Wednesday at State House, Abuja, while decorating Disu as Acting Inspector-General of Police, following the retirement of Kayode Egbetokun.
Disu’s appointment is subject to ratification by Nigeria Police Council and Senate.
The police council is due to meet next week.
Tinubu told Disu, “I made this decision for you to assume this responsibility. I know your record. I saw the dedication you exhibited while you were in Lagos when I was governor.
“Lead firmly but fairly, demand professionalism at every level and ensure that the safety of lives and property remains our highest priority.
“It’s a daunting challenge. I know you can do it. You have my word; you have my full support.”
The president described Disu’s appointment as coming at a critical moment, and urged him to rebuild public confidence in the police’s capacity to do their job in collaboration with other security forces.
Tinubu urged the new police boss to advance the security pillars of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, just as he expressed confidence in his discipline, operational experience, and leadership capacity.
“Nigeria is challenged with banditry, terrorism and other criminal activities. You will be part of the thinking and innovation to overcome them,” Tinubu said, reaffirming his belief that Nigeria would prevail under a committed leadership.
The president also paid tribute to the outgoing Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who was present at the decoration ceremony with his spouse.
“To the outgoing Inspector-General, we are a grateful nation. Nigeria appreciates your contribution to maintaining law and order,” he said.
He urged Egbetokun to be ready to offer useful advice to his successor and wished him and his family peace, good health and success in their future endeavours.
“You have not succeeded without a good successor. His success will also be part of your legacy,” Tinubu stated.
The president urged all security stakeholders to work collectively to safeguard life and property.
Present during the decoration were National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff to the President, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila; Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori; AIG Hakeem Odumosu (rtd); senior government officials; as well as the parents and family members of the acting IGP.
Speaking with newsmen after being decorated, Disu promised to galvanise the morale and focus of officers of the Nigeria Police to confront the dual threats of banditry and insurgency in the country.
He underscored the importance of public cooperation in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges, stating that effective policing is impossible without the support of citizens.
The acting inspector-general stressed that close collaboration between the police and the public was critical to overcoming the threats.
He also commended officers of the Nigeria Police for their dedication and resilience, describing them as hardworking and committed to safeguarding life and property, despite the difficult conditions under which they operated.
Disu said, “I’m going to drum it into them that we can never succeed without the cooperation of members of the public. I will mention it to them, most importantly, the country is facing a particular problem now, issue of banditry, insurgency.
“I know all police officers around have been doing their best. They are hardworking people. All I need to do is to channel their morale and their thoughts, to make anything better.”
Disu emphasised that he would re-orient officers to the reality that the era of impuni-ty was over, stressing that professionalism is central to effective policing and respect for human rights would be strictly enforced.
He said, “My top priority, like one of the first lectures I’m going to have with my men, I’m going to talk to them, let them know that the citizens of the country are the boss.
“It’s very important for them to know that no police anywhere in the world can succeed without the cooperation of members of the public.”
He pledged to prioritise continuous training and capacity-building to ensure operatives adhere to the rule of law and global best practices.
The acting IG also affirmed that his leadership would operate a zero-tolerance policy on corruption, warning that misconduct and abuse of power would attract firm sanctions.
He stated, “I will let them know that the era of impunity is over. I will ensure that I train them and encourage them to ensure they follow human rights.
“I will ensure that they know I will try to follow a regime of zero tolerance to corruption, and most importantly, I’m going to drum it into them that we can never succeed without the cooperation of members of the public.”
He expressed gratitude to the president for the confidence reposed in him, describing his appointment as a profound honour.
Disu stated, “The appointment means a lot to me because I have the love of my profession, the love of the country, and it came at a time I was not expecting it. That makes me give thanks to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for his magnanimity, to see me fit to be appointed as his Inspector-General Police.
“The president mentioning a lot of activities about me, mentioning areas I’ve worked, mentioning successes I’ve recorded as a policeman, brought emotion to me, almost brought me to tears.
“It shows the president took his time to monitor officers working everywhere in the country, and then it shows the president was throwing a challenge at me to go out there and do what I’m known for, and ensure that I bring peace to the country.”
Disu pledged to prioritise the welfare of officers, stating that a well-supported and motivated workforce is essential for effective policing.
Egbetokun advised Disu to sustain ongoing reforms, including the restructuring of intelligence coordination, strengthening inter-agency deployment models, dismantling criminal syndicates, and improving intelligence response mechanisms nationwide.
He expressed optimism that Disu would consolidate the gains recorded in those areas and deliver even stronger results in strengthening national security.
Egbetokun stated, “The president once said that a good leader should have a succession plan, and must invest in his likeliest successors. I invested in likely successors in the Nigerian Police Force, and I’m happy that one of those that I’ve invested in has been found most suitable for the job, and he’s being decorated today and I’ll be handing over in the next few moments.
“My advice to the newly appointed acting Inspector-General Police is that he should continue to show commitment to the things that we have been doing together. He has been part of my administration from the beginning; he was my PSO, he was CP in Rivers, in FCT, he was the AIG in charge of SPU.”
The ex-IGP said Disu demonstrated firm leadership and professionalism in implementing the presidential directive on the withdrawal of police personnel from VIP protection duties, ensuring full compliance with the order.
He said, “I am happy that he’s the one that is taking over from me, and my advice to him again is that he knows all those things we’ve been doing together, restructuring our intelligence coordination, improving inter-agency deployment model, dismantling several criminal syndicates.
“I’m sure he’s going to continue to do that, and improving our intelligence response mechanisms. I have so much confidence that he would surpass what I have done.”
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, congratulated Egbetokunon his distinguished service to the Nigeria Police and the country.
Abiodun also congratulated Disu, expressing confidence in his ability to provide focused and result-oriented leadership at a critical time in the country’s security landscape.
In a statement he personally signed, Abiodun described Egbetokun as a proud son of Ogun State, whose decades of dedication, professionalism, and commitment to strengthening internal security remained a source of pride to Ogun indigenes and Nigerians as a whole.
He commended the former IGP for his selfless service and wished him well as he attended to pressing family responsibilities.
While congratulating Disu, Abiodun urged the new police chief to prioritise intelligence-driven policing, improved welfare for officers and men, enhanced community engagement, and strengthened inter-agency collaboration to effectively combat crime and criminality across the country.
Abiodun stated that restoring public confidence in the force, deepening professionalism, leveraging technology for crime detection, and reinforcing internal discipline should form the cornerstone of the new IGP’s leadership agenda.
Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, also congratulated Disu on his appointment as Acting Inspector-General of Police, hailing his choice as a strong pointer to better and fair policing.
Adeleke acknowledged Disu’s firm commitment to responsibilities, which were reflective in the works put into safeguarding Nigerians over the years. He expressed faith in the new IGP’s deep respect for the rule of law to guide the Nigeria Police to effectively serve its core mandate.
While maintaining strong hope in Disu’s deep experience in policing, Adeleke tasked him to uphold professionalism and insulate the force from political influence and partisanship to restore the confidence of Nigerians in the ability of the police to discharge its constitutional role.
The governor stated, “Having Mr Disu as the head of the country’s police is quite a masterstroke, given his deep knowledge about most parts of Nigeria, as only a few policemen have had the privilege of serving in all the six zones of the country.
“Even more, Mr Disu is widely believed to be strict with the law and testimonies of Nigerians about him so far showed that he will make a good police chief, winning back the trust of Nigerians for the force.”
