President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Olatunji Rilwan Disu as the Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) with immediate effect.
The appointment follows the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun on Tuesday. In a statement, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga cited “current security challenges confronting the nation” and compliance with the Police Act 2020 as reasons for the move.
President Tinubu expressed confidence in Disu’s leadership and announced that the Nigeria Police Council will soon meet to consider his substantive appointment, after which the name will be forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.
Disu, a career officer with more than 33 years of service, was promoted to AIG only in March 2025. His elevation comes just 48 days before he would have reached the mandatory retirement age of 60 on April 13, 2026.
Early Life
Olatunji Rilwan Disu (popularly known as Tunji Disu) was born on April 13, 1966, on Lagos Island, Lagos State. He grew up in Nigeria’s commercial capital and spent part of his childhood in Ogun State. His early education instilled discipline and academic excellence.
Education
He attended Holy Cross Cathedral Primary School and completed primary school at Mayflower Junior School, Ikenne, Ogun State, in 1979.
For secondary education, he attended Pobuna Secondary Grammar School, Epe, before finishing at the prestigious St. Gregory’s College, Lagos, in 1985.
Disu holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Education from Lagos State University (LASU), which he obtained in 1990.
He later earned a Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations and Strategic Studies from LASU, a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State (2010), and a second Master’s in Criminology, Security and Legal Psychology from LASU (2022).
He also obtained a certificate in Personal Protection in the United Kingdom.
He has attended numerous specialised training programmes in Nigeria and abroad, including Small Arms Smuggling investigations in Botswana, Internet Fraud training at the University of Cambridge, the Strategic Leadership Command Course at the Police Staff College, Jos, and forensic and criminal intelligence courses at the University of Lagos.
Career
Disu enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on May 18, 1992, as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police and trained at the Nigeria Police Academy.
He rose steadily through the ranks with postings across operational, intelligence, and command roles.
He served as Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ago Iwoye (Ogun State), Ikare and Owo (Ondo State), and Elimbu and Elelenwo (Rivers State).
He was Officer-in-Charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and anti-kidnapping units in Rivers State, and later SARS Commander in Ondo, Oyo, and Rivers States.
He also served as Second-in-Command of the State Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Rivers State.
In 2005, he made history by leading the first Nigerian Police contingent to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), serving as Contingent Commander and later Acting Chief of Staff in Darfur until 2006.
From June 13, 2015, to August 2021, Disu commanded the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS). He famously rebranded the officers as “The Good Guys,” introducing intelligence-led policing, crime mapping, hotspot policing, community engagement, and first-aid/CPR training.
During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown and #EndSARS protests, the RRS provided medical assistance to civilians and protesters.
In August 2021, he was appointed head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), the high-profile unit previously led by Abba Kyari, where he recorded major successes against fraud syndicates and organised crime.
Promoted to Commissioner of Police in March 2023, he served in Rivers State and was later deployed as Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in September 2024.
He rose to AIG in March 2025 and was in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos, immediately before his appointment as Acting IGP.
Achievements and Recognitions
Under Disu’s leadership, the Lagos RRS received multiple international accolades:
• Best Anti-Crime Police Squad in West Africa (Security Watch Africa, 2016)
• Most Outstanding Police Operational Officer in West Africa (2016)
• Lagos named Best Security and Most Safety-Conscious State in Africa (2016)
• Most Outstanding Anti-Crime Police Chief in West and Central Africa (2019)
• Most Outstanding Urban Crime Control Police Command (2019)
• Man of the Year Award by the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN, 2019)
He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and several other professional bodies, including the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), and international forensics organisations.
Personal Life
Disu keeps his family life private. Little public information is available about his wife or children, as he has consistently focused public attention on his professional service and sporting achievements.
At 59, with a track record spanning grassroots policing, international peacekeeping, elite intelligence operations, and community-focused leadership, Olatunji Rilwan Disu brings vast operational experience to Nigeria’s top police position at a pivotal moment.
His appointment signals continuity in intelligence-driven policing while raising expectations for renewed public trust and effectiveness in tackling the nation’s security challenges.
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