Handing Over and Taking Over: Disu Takes Command as Nigeria’s 23rd Indigenous IGP at Louis Edet House

Segun Atanda/

A new chapter opened at the Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, today as Olatunji Ridwan Disu formally assumed duty as the 23rd Indigenous Inspector-General of Police.

Disu takes over from Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, who served as the 22nd Indigenous IGP from June 19, 2023 to February 24, 2026.

The handing-over and taking-over ceremony marked a significant leadership transition in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), coming at a time when internal security, reform consolidation, and public trust remain central to national discourse.

Born on April 13, 1966, and hailing from Lagos Island Local Government Area of Lagos State, Disu joined the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police on May 18, 1992.

Over three decades, he has built a reputation across investigative, operational, intelligence and administrative assignments.

Until his appointment, he served as Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos.

His career spans several strategic postings, including:
• AIG, Special Protection Unit (SPU), Force Headquarters, Abuja
• Commissioner of Police, FCT Police Command
• Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command
• CP, Administration and Intelligence, Force Intelligence Bureau
• Deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence Response Team (IRT)
• Commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos (2015–2021)
• Officer-in-Charge, Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Robbery Units
• Directing Staff, Nigerian Police Academy, Kano
• Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to a former Governor of Lagos State

According to security analysts, his years as RRS Commander in Lagos and head of intelligence-driven units positioned him as one of the most operationally grounded officers of his generation.

Disu combines field experience with robust academic credentials. His qualifications include:
• MSc Entrepreneurship, National Open University of Nigeria (2023)
• MSc Criminology, Security and Legal Psychology, Lagos State University (2022)
• Advanced Diploma in Forensic Investigation and Criminal Intelligence, University of Lagos (2019)
• MSc Public Administration, Adekunle Ajasin University (2010)
• PGD International Relations and Strategic Studies, LASU (2000)
• BA English (Education), LASU (1990)

He is also a member of several professional bodies, including the International Academy of Forensics, the National Association of Investigative Specialists (USA), the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

In 2005, he led the first-ever Nigerian Police contingent to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), deployed to quell the Darfur crisis, a milestone in Nigeria’s peacekeeping history.

Beyond policing, Disu is a decorated judoka. A former National Chairman of the Nigeria Police Judo Association, he holds a third-degree black belt and won a silver medal at the 2022 US Open Judo Championships, a rare blend of tactical discipline and athletic distinction.

In his remarks, the new Acting IGP reassured officers, stakeholders and Nigerians of his commitment to consolidating ongoing reforms, enhancing internal security architecture, strengthening community partnerships and deepening professionalism within the Force.

The Nigeria Police Force, in its statement, expressed profound appreciation to the outgoing IGP, Egbetokun, for his contributions to the modernisation and strengthening of the institution.

As Disu settles into office, expectations are high that his blend of intelligence-led policing, operational command experience and reform-minded leadership will shape the next phase of Nigeria’s internal security strategy.