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29 DIGs, AIGs may go as Tinubu appoints Disu to replace Egbetokun

Published

7 months ago

February 25, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

Combo of Tinubu, Egbetokun and Disu

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No fewer than 29 senior police officers are likely to be retired following the appointment of Tunji Disu as an Acting Inspector-General of Police, Daily Trust has learnt.

It was gathered that the officers to exit the Force include 8 Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) and 21 Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) who got promoted before Disu became AIG.

In line with the tradition of the police, when a subordinate is appointed IGP, the superior officers could be affected.

Our correspondent reports that Egbetokun, who was appointed in June 2023, was serving a four-year term scheduled to conclude in June 2027, in line with the amended provisions of the Police Act.

There are reports on Tuesday that the former police boss was on Monday evening asked to resign his position as the Inspector-General of Police, after a meeting at the Presidential Villa.

‘Why Egbetokun resigned as IG’

Confirming Egbetokun’s resignation earlier, the Presidency said the former top cop resigned from office over family issues that require his undivided attention.

Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said, “The IGP resigned in a letter today (Tuesday), citing family issues which require his undivided attention.”

However, multiple sources within the Presidency confided in Daily Trust that Egbetokun was asked to step down during a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday evening.

One correspondent observed the IGP’s official vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser with number plate NPF-01, was parked at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa around 6:40 pm on Monday.

Egbetokun, clad in his black uniform without his cap, disembarked from the vehicle and turned back to ask for his notepad from an aide who briskly reached into the vehicle and handed it over to him.

The former IG arrived at approximately the same time governors were arriving for an interfaith breaking of fast with the President, raising initial uncertainty about the purpose of his visit.

A source, however, at the Villa confirmed that Egbetokun was specifically summoned on Monday evening by the president.

But Onanuga later said in a statement issued afterwards that the President received Egbetokun’s letter earlier on Tuesday and expressed appreciation for his service to the nation.

Tinubu commended Egbetokun’s “decades of distinguished service to the Nigeria Police Force and the nation,” while acknowledging his “dedication, professionalism, and steadfast commitment to strengthening internal security architecture during his tenure.”

“In view of the current security challenges confronting the nation, and acting in accordance with extant laws and legal guidance, President Tinubu has approved the appointment of Assistant Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu to serve as Acting Inspector-General of Police with immediate effect.

“The president is confident that AIG Disu’s experience, operational depth, and demonstrated leadership capacity will provide steady and focused direction for the Nigeria Police Force during this critical period,” the statement read.

It added that in compliance with the provisions of the Police Act 2020, the President will soon convene a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council to formally consider Disu’s appointment as substantive Inspector-General of Police, after which his name will be forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.

The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to enhancing national security, strengthening institutional capacity, and ensuring that the Nigeria Police Force remains professional, accountable, and fully equipped to discharge its constitutional responsibilities.

Who is Tunji Disu?

Disu was born in Lagos Island, Lagos State, on the 13th of April 1966.

Disu holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the Lagos State University (LASU) and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State.

Disu joined the Nigeria Police Force on May 18, 1992, beginning a professional journey that has now stretched beyond three decades.

Over the years, he has served in a range of operational and administrative roles, steadily building a reputation as an officer shaped by field experience rather than desk assignments.

A career officer, his rise through the ranks has been closely followed within security circles.

He has also attended several professional courses both at home and abroad, including Small Arms Smuggling Training in Botswana; Internet Fraud Training at Cambridge University, UK; Strategic Leadership Command Course at the Police Staff College, Jos; Forensic Investigations and Criminal Intelligence Course at the University of Lagos, amongst others.

Disu was a former Commander of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos State, where he led a team that made several arrests of criminals, especially fraudsters.

After a brief stint, a former IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, appointed him as the Head of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), on August 2, 2021, following the suspension of DCP Abba Kyari.

He was at the time the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Disu had also previously served at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Rivers State, as the second in command of the unit.

He later served as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and subsequently in the Federal Capital Territory, two commands that require both tactical firmness and political sensitivity.

His postings to these strategic jurisdictions reflected the confidence of the police hierarchy in his capacity to manage high pressure security environments.

He was also a commander of the Nigeria Police Contingent to the African Union (AU) Peace Keeping Mission in Darfur, Sudan.

He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, amongst other professional bodies.

Four years ago, one of the headlines that dominated sports sections of newspapers was the 33rd US Open, which was held in Brookline, Massachusetts. The veteran Judoka won a silver medal in that competition, which was held in the United States.

With his elevation to Assistant Inspector General, Disu joined the upper command structure of the force at a time when the country faces persistent security challenges and growing public demand for reform, professionalism and accountability within the police system.

The appointment of Olatunji Disu as acting Inspector General of Police has brought renewed attention to one of the Nigeria Police Force’s most visible operational commanders.

Senior officers to go

Daily Trust spotlights that Disu’s emergence, though in acting capacity, could affect some Deputy Inspectors-General of Police and AIGs.

Until his appointment, Disu was the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos.

Adebola Hamzat

DIG Hamzat currently serves as the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of the Department of Logistics and Supply (DLS) of the Nigeria Police Force. He was appointed and decorated as a Deputy Inspector-General of Police in March 2025.

As the head of the Department of Logistics and Supply (DLS), he oversees the technical, administrative, and logistical needs of the entire Nigeria Police Force, including procurement, works, housing, and the Force Quarter-Master.

Previous Roles: Before his elevation to DIG, he served as the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 16, Yenagoa (covering Bayelsa and Rivers States). He was also the Commissioner of Police for Oyo State and the former AIG in charge of the Counter Terrorism Unit. He is an indigene of Ifelodun L.G.A of Kwara State.

Yahaya Abubakar

He is a senior Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) who most recently served as the Head of the Department of Finance and Administration at Police Force Headquarters, Abuja. He was appointed to lead the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA), which oversees the financial management, budgeting, human resources, and administrative processes of the Force.

DIG Abubakar was appointed to the position following his promotion by the Police Service Commission (PSC) in 2024, having previously served in senior roles such as Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) and Zone Commander.

Bzigu Kwazhi

He is a senior officer in the Nigeria Police Force, currently serving as the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of the Department of Operations. He is responsible for leading, coordinating, and implementing operational activities, crime prevention strategies, and maintaining law and order across Nigeria. As the head of the Department of Operations (DOPs), he manages tactical operations, joint security operations (with the military) and policies for controlling incidents like riots, disasters, and elections.

In 2025, he has been actively involved in high-level security assessments, including leading operations to restore peace in Plateau State and Adamawa State. He is a seasoned officer with extensive field experience, having previously served as the Commissioner of Police in both Osun and Akwa Ibom states.

Adebowale Williams

Williams is a senior Nigerian police officer serving at the rank of Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). He held/has held a key leadership role as the Head of the Department of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

He was appointed to lead the Department of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) within the NPF. This department is responsible for managing and advancing the Force’s technological infrastructure, systems, and digital tools to support modern policing.

Idris Abubakar

Abubakar was appointed into the Nigeria Police Force as a cadet ASP on 18/5/1992. He hails from Garko LGA of Kano State. He holds B.Sc Edu from Utman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Msc.Edu. in Psychology and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Abuja.

Frank Mba

Mba began his policing career as an Inspector and steadily rose through the ranks. In 1999, he was promoted to Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), followed by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in 2003.

He was promoted to Superintendent of Police (SP) in 2008, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) in 2012, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in 2014, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in 2018, and Commissioner of Police (CP) in December 2020.

In March 2023, he was decorated as an Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG).

Mba is a three-time National Spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force and has received the UN Medal for his service as a member of the Nigeria Police Contingent to the United Nations Mission in Liberia from 2006 to 2007.

Basil Idegwu

Idegwu was appointed to lead the Department of Research and Planning (R&P) at the Force Headquarters in Abuja as of March 2025. He is responsible for strategic planning,, policy formulation, and enhancing the Force’s operational efficiency.

He holds a Doctorate degree (PhD) in Peace and Security Studies. Idegwu heads a key department focused on ensuring standards, uniformity, and modernization in policing services.

He leads initiatives on community policing, engages with stakeholders to strengthen trust, and represents the IGP at various security engagements. He served in various operational and administrative capacities.

Mohammed Gumel

He assumed duty as the 4th Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of the Force Intelligence Department (FID) at the Force Headquarters in Abuja in late December 2025/early January 2026. He is a seasoned officer, known for community policing.

The Force Intelligence Department (FID) is the apex intelligence-gathering arm of the Nigeria Police Force. He formerly served as a Commissioner of Police (CP) and was notably recognised as the best Community Policing Advocate of the Year (2024).

He holds the FIPMA (Fellow, Institute of Professional Managers and Administrators) and (Police Staff College) designations.

I won’t stop fighting security agencies’ heads due for retirement – Sowore

Reacting to the development, a former Presidential Candidate of AAC in the 2023 general elections, Omoyele Sowore, described Egbetokun’s removal as a victory for Nigerians.

Sowore, also a human rights activist, vowed that he would not relent in demanding the exit of Customs, NSCDC, Immigration and other para-military agencies’ bosses who are due for retirement but still staying put.

He said, “If you go to the airport, the Nigerian Air Force has taken over our traffic duties from the police. So, the police are failing because you have a guy who has retired and he’s tired, and you keep him as a police IG.

“That tells you what is happening with even the person who claims he’s president of Nigeria. He doesn’t know his left from his right. He’s just rewarding loyalty, even if it’s against the interests of the Nigerian country and its people.

“The same thing applies to the guys in Customs. It applies to immigration. It applies to civil defence. All of them have their tenure extended.

“And these are guys who are targeted. That’s the reason why they said if you are 60-years-old and you are 35 years old, you should let go. Because that is biologically when people can no longer function as they should.” (Daily Trust)

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NAF aircraft crashed with 32 passengers, crew – Keyamo

Published

2 hours ago

October 5, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo

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An aircraft belonging to the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State, with 32 people — 25 passengers and seven crew members — reportedly on board.

The aircraft crashed in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Monday.

A community leader had confirmed the crash, but said residents were yet to establish the exact location and other details.

He said: “Yes, it is true. A helicopter crashed at Igbokoda, Ondo State. But we don’t know the exact place and other details.”

However, NAF confirmed the incident on Monday in a statement, saying it had activated an immediate search-and-rescue operation following the crash involving an ATR-42 aircraft.

The aircraft was said to have been on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred.

In a statement by its Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, NAF said: “The aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred.

“Search and rescue operations, in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies, are currently ongoing.

“The NAF is committed to ensuring the success of the ongoing search and rescue efforts. Further details will be communicated in due course.”

Aviation Ministry

Also confirming the crash, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, disappeared after air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13 a.m.

Keyamo said the aircraft was en route to Lagos from Benin when all efforts to raise it on radio proved unsuccessful.

He said subsequent information confirmed that the aircraft had crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda and that the wreckage had been located.

“Preliminary information suggests that there were 25 passengers and 7 crew members on board,” Keyamo said.

The minister did not provide further details on the condition or identities of those on board, as search and rescue operations were still ongoing.

Keyamo noted that the control and regulation of military aircraft were outside the authority of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

He, however, said he had spoken with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and pledged the ministry’s full cooperation and assistance in the ongoing search and rescue efforts.

“Further information on this unfortunate incident will be made available subsequently,” he said.

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NAF confirms ownership, launches rescue operation after aircraft crash in Ondo

Published

3 hours ago

October 5, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke

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It was gathered that the incident, which occurred in the coastal community, sparked panic among residents, although details of the crash remained sketchy by press time.

The identity of the helicopter were not immediately known just as the occupants could not be identified.

A community leader, who spoke in confidence, confirmed the crash but said residents were yet to establish the exact location and other details.

According to him, “Yes, it is true. A helicopter crashed at Igbokoda, Ondo State, but we don’t know the exact place and other details.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said he was not aware of the incident when contacted.

Abayomi, however, said he would get back to journalists after conducting further checks.

As of press time, there was no official confirmation of the reported casualties or details of the aircraft involved.

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Kidnappers torture 20 corps members, reduce ransom to N100m — Relatives

Published

5 hours ago

October 5, 2026

Advocate News Nigeria

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FG should tell us what it’s doing—Oyo govt

This came as it was also gathered on Sunday that the kidnappers reduced their ransom to N5million each.

Recall that the prospective corps members were abducted last Thursday while travelling from Ibadan to their respective NYSC orientation camps.The vehicles were attacked by gunmen along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State, while the graduates were travelling to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.

The abduction triggered immediae concern among the affected families, particularly after the parents said the kidnappers initially demanded N50m for each of the 20 victims, amounting to N1bn, and gave them a 24-hour ultimatum to produce the money or risk harm coming to their children.

The parents had earlier sought the intervention of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, during a visit to his private residence in Bodija, Ibadan, where they were accompanied by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, and the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri.

Our children are being tortured — Victims’ parents

Meanwhile, one of the affected parents, Alhaja Alimot Akande, said the abductors had subjected the victims to physical assault since the previous day, adding that the situation had become “horrible, scary and overwhelming” for the families.

The latest revelation came as Oyo State government said it was working closely with its Imo State counterpart and security agencies in both states, using its experience from the recent Oriire abduction crisis as a template to secure the release of the 20 graduates.

Akande, whose 25-year-old sister, Kehinde Akande, is among those abducted, said the kidnappers had reduced their demand from the earlier N50m per victim to N5m each.

She said the reduction had not, however, eased the anxiety of the families because the victims were still being held and allegedly beaten by their captors.

“They are still demanding N5 million. They have come down to N5 million each,” she said.

Asked whether the N5m was being demanded for each of the 20 abducted prospective corps members, she replied, “Yes.”

Akande, however, said she could not confirm how much had been raised by the families towards the ransom, explaining that she was not privy to the individual arrangements between the kidnappers and the other parents.

“I cannot say because I do not know how much they have told those people that they have,” she said.

Asked to describe the situation from her perspective, Akande said: “It has been horrible, scary and overwhelming.”

The situation, according to her, became more disturbing after she spoke with her sister and learned that the abductors had begun beating the victims.

“We appeal to the government to please assist us in getting them rescued from that place. When I spoke to my sister, they started beating them yesterday (Sunday),” she said.

Asked whether the female corps members were also being assaulted, she said the kidnappers had shown no restraint.

“They are not sparing anybody. They are beating all of them,” she said.

Akande also disclosed that one of the abducted corps members had been allowed to communicate with his father, but noted that the calls were allegedly being used by the kidnappers as an avenue to monitor the family’s ability to raise money.

According to her, the abductors will alert the victim whenever his father’s call came in and allow him to speak because they believe the father can provide the ransom.

She said: “His father has been communicating with him. The kidnappers give him access to a telephone. Whenever his father calls, they show him that a call came in for him. He would just say, ‘Oh, that’s my father.’

“They know money will come out of his father’s hands, so they would just pick it and allow him to talk. And they have been beating him. They have been beating all of them.”

The parent also disclosed that the families had been relying on assurances from the police, while efforts continued to secure the money demanded by the abductors.

“The police are telling us to still buy time. We are still looking for the money. Depending on it, they will see them rescued,” she said.

Asked whether she was also directly affected by the incident, Akande replied: “I am. My sister was abducted.”

She identified her sister as Kehinde Akande and said she was 25 years old.

Transport firm withholding passengers’ next-of-kin details — Parents

The parents also accused the transport company that conveyed their children from Ibadan of allegedly withholding vital passenger information when they approached the office for assistance.

The parents, who said they visited Eduak King Transport Company at Samonda, Ibadan, in a desperate search for information that could help them contact other affected families, alleged that the company refused to provide the next-of-kin list of passengers aboard the ill-fated vehicles, despite the emergency created by the abduction.

One of the affected mothers, Mrs Iyabo Akande, whose daughter, Kehinde Akande, was among the abducted graduates, called on the Inspector-General of Police and the government to investigate the transport operator and ensure that those found culpable were held accountable.

She said: “Our government and the Inspector-General of Police should help us investigate the transport company, Eduak King, located at the Samonda area of the state and call them to order.

“We were at their office yesterday morning (Sunday morning) asking for the next of kin list so we could contact other parents, but they refused to present it or assist us. The company’s driver, Jeremiah, took our children. They must be held accountable.”

Another parent, Mr Olawale Olaleye, whose daughter was also among the victims, expressed concern over what he described as the company’s continued transport operations, despite the abduction and the distress of the affected families.

He said the parents were surprised to find the company loading another vehicle when they visited its premises to seek information and assistance.

Olaleye said: “We went to Samonda, to Eduak King. Surprisingly, they were already loading another vehicle. People are complaining; the company should be held liable.”

When Vanguard visited the premises of the transport company yesterday, other transport operators were seen conducting their normal activities, while the premises of the affected company were locked and no official was available to respond to the allegations.

FG should tell us what it’s doing—Oyo govt

Meanwhile, the Oyo State government said it was maintaining close contact with its Imo State counterpart and security agencies as efforts intensify to secure the release of the abducted graduates.

The Commissioner for Information, Mr Dotun Oyelade, said the state government was not standing aside because the abduction occurred outside Oyo State, stressing that it was actively involved in efforts to bring the victims home.

Oyelade said the government was using lessons and experience from the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area as part of its engagement with the authorities in Imo.

He said: “We are in close contact at government-to-government level and actively working with the security apparatus in Oyo and Imo states.

“We are volunteering our template and experiences garnered during the Oriire kidnapping, and the report of the Judicial Inquiry just submitted last week by the Justice Mojeed Owoade Panel is coming in handy in our bilateral discussions on the matter.”

The commissioner explained that the state government would not publicly disclose every aspect of its strategy because of the sensitive nature of the operation.

“Governments all over the world are not in the habit of disclosing all they are planning in delicate situations like this,” Oyelade said.

He, however, argued that the federal government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces should bear the primary responsibility of explaining the country’s broader security response to the abduction.

“The pushback should be on the federal government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, who are in charge of national security, on what they have done in 72 hours,” he said.

Oyelade linked the Oyo State government’s position to Governor Seyi Makinde’s recent intervention over the abduction of students in Borno State, noting that the Borno incident occurred on the same day as the Oriire abduction.

“It was in recognition of this that Governor Seyi Makinde appealed to the federal government last week to expedite action on the abducted Borno students, who were abducted on the same day, May 15, that the Oriire students and teachers were abducted,” he said.

Reaffirming the state government’s commitment to the victims, Oyelade said the fact that the graduates were abducted in Imo did not absolve Oyo State government of its responsibility towards its citizens.

“Oyo State government has not and will not abandon its citizens. We will continue to work endlessly and desperately to secure the release of our children,” he said.

Kidnapped NYSC members still in captivity – Imo police command

Meanwhile, Imo State police command said yesterday that the prospective corps members were still in captivity.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Henry Okoye, said: “The Commissioner of Police, CP Audu Bosso, in collaboration with sister security agencies, has deployed tactical teams and operational assets to rescue the abducted corps members and other passengers and to arrest the suspected abductors.

“Following a swift response by the police and other security agencies, both buses have been recovered and 10 victims were rescued at the scene.

“The rescued victims are in safe hands and are being attended to. The exact number of persons abducted is being verified and will be made public once confirmed.

“Operatives are conducting coordinated search and rescue operations, backed by intelligence-led tracking of the suspects.

“The affected section of the expressway has been reopened and traffic is flowing. Security personnel remain deployed to protect commuters.”