President Bola Tinubu has removed the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, from office.
Multiple senior police sources confirmed on Tuesday that the president directed Egbetokun to hand over, bringing an end to months of controversy surrounding his tenure.
He is to be succeeded by Tunji Disu, who currently serves as Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Annex, Alagbon, Lagos.
A senior officer disclosed that Egbetokun was at the Presidential Villa on Monday where he was instructed to prepare his handover notes.
“He has been told to step aside and conclude the process. The handover is to Tunji Disu,” the source said.
Egbetokun’s tenure was dogged by sustained public scrutiny, particularly over the extension of his stay in office beyond the statutory retirement threshold of 60 years of age or 35 years in service.
The extension drew criticism from civil society organisations and legal analysts who argued that it undermined established service rules and institutional discipline.
His time in office was also marked by allegations of preferential promotions within the police, including claims that a senior aide received accelerated advancement under contentious circumstances.
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The development triggered internal disquiet and public debate over transparency in the police hierarchy.
Further controversy trailed reports alleging that funds linked to Anambra State’s security vote were traced to a private account associated with a member of his family.
The allegations were widely circulated but were met with official denials and legal pushback.
Egbetokun had also been involved in legal disputes with activists and media platforms over publications challenging the legality of his continued stay in office.
Court orders were at different times secured restraining further reports on the matter.
Police sources said news of his removal filtered through several formations on Monday, with indications of mixed reactions among personnel.
