Olatunji Disu has paid tribute to his predecessor, Kayode Egbetokun, praising his dedication, professionalism and leadership during a pulling-out ceremony held in his honour in Abuja.
Disu spoke on Thursday at the event organised at the Force Headquarters to mark Egbetokun’s retirement after decades of service in the Nigeria Police Force.
In his remarks, the police chief recalled how their professional relationship began years earlier while both served under Bola Tinubu during his tenure as governor of Lagos State.
According to Disu, Egbetokun served as Chief Security Officer to the governor at the time, while he worked as Aide-de-Camp, placing them in close collaboration on the security of the state’s leadership.
“A defining chapter in his professional life was his service in Lagos State Government House, where he served as Chief Security Officer to the governor at a time when Senator Bola Tinubu, now President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was governor,” Disu said.
“It was during that period that our professional paths intersected in a most memorable way. Working together under demanding circumstances, we shared the responsibility of ensuring the safety and security of the governor and the Government of Lagos State.”
Disu noted that neither of them could have predicted that years later Egbetokun would rise to lead the police force and that he would eventually succeed him in the same office.
“At that time, neither of us could have imagined that destiny would place him at the helm of the Nigeria Police Force as Inspector-General, and that I would have the honour of succeeding him,” he added.
The IGP said Egbetokun’s career reflected steady progress through the ranks, with key roles including commander of the Rapid Response Squad in Lagos, operations within the Police Mobile Force, and Area Commander postings in Osogbo and Gusau.
He also highlighted Egbetokun’s contributions to police training and capacity development, including his service as Commandant of the Police Training School in Ikeja and later as Deputy Commandant of the Police College in the same city.
Disu said Egbetokun’s tenure as Inspector-General was guided by a vision to build a professionally competent, service-driven and people-friendly police force grounded in the rule of law.
According to him, reforms introduced during the period were aimed at strengthening operational efficiency, improving professionalism, expanding personnel development and deepening public trust in policing.
He noted that the former police chief prioritised intelligence-driven policing, improved training standards and reinforced institutional values such as discipline, accountability and service.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Egbetokun highlighted several reforms and institutional improvements implemented during his tenure as Inspector-General.
He said his administration focused on reinforcing professionalism, promoting merit-based advancement and strengthening intelligence-led policing across the force.
Among the reforms, he said the Intelligence Bureau was expanded into a full department headed by a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, while the Legal and Medical units were upgraded to directorate status to improve efficiency and service delivery.
Egbetokun also said the police further developed its cybercrime centre into a more sophisticated facility capable of monitoring Nigeria’s cyberspace and supporting modern investigations.
He added that investigative capacity was enhanced through improvements to the national criminal database and expanded professional training for officers across commands up to the divisional level.
Operational presence was also strengthened, he said, with the creation of additional Police Mobile Force squadrons, new Area Commands and divisions, and the establishment of a Special Intervention Squad which recorded successes in operations across the country.
The former police chief also pointed to improvements in police infrastructure, including the redevelopment of barracks in Kano and Kaduna and the commissioning of modern state command headquarters in Ogun and Adamawa states.
Egbetokun was appointed Inspector-General of Police on June 19, 2023, by President Tinubu. He stepped down from the position on February 24, paving the way for Disu’s appointment as his successor.
