A civil society organization, Visionary Leaders Consensus (VLC), on Tuesday, kicked against the information going the round that President Bola Tinubu has planned to appoint Assistant Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu as Nigeria’s new Inspector-General of Police.
The National Chairman VLC, Dr. Ibrahim Bature and its Secretary, Comrade Bello Roba, in a joint press statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, said such appointment will not be in the best interest of the country.
The reaction came following the news of the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun as the country’s IGP.
“The planned appointment of Assistant Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu as Nigeria’s new Inspector-General of Police has raised significant concerns among stakeholders, with two major structural disadvantages coming to the fore
“First, his (Disu’s) impending retirement in April 2026 and the forced resignation of at least 16 senior officers that his appointment would trigger.
“AIG Disu, born on April 13, 1966, will reach the mandatory retirement age of 60 in April 2026, giving him barely two months in office if appointed now.
“This effectively means Nigeria could face another leadership change in the police force within weeks, creating instability at the top echelons of law enforcement,” the group said.
According to them, this situation mirrors the controversy that plagued outgoing IGP Kayode Egbetokun’s tenure.
“Egbetokun, who was appointed at 58, had his tenure extended beyond the statutory retirement age through a controversial amendment to the Police Act.
“The National Assembly had amended the Police Act to allow an appointed IGP to serve a fixed four-year term regardless of age, a move critics described as designed to benefit Egbetokun personally.
“If the same logic is not applied to Disu, his tenure would be among the shortest in the force’s history.
“However, applying another tenure extension so soon after the last one would further undermine institutional integrity and public confidence in the police leadership selection process,” they said.
Besides, the group, which argued that the development may lead to massive reshuffle in the system, said about 16 AIGs and nine Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) may be forced out of service.
“Perhaps more destabilising is the domino effect of Disu’s appointment.
“Police Service Commission rules and police hierarchy conventions dictate that when a new IGP emerges, several senior officers must proceed on compulsory retirement to create a clear leadership line.
“According to sources within the Nigeria Police Force, at least 29 senior police officers – comprising 16 Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) and nine Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) – may be removed from office following the leadership change.
“This represents a significant portion of the force’s top command structure,” they said.
The CSO said this mass exit would create a leadership vacuum at the highest levels of the Nigeria Police Force, potentially disrupting ongoing operations and institutional memory.
“The planned removal of these senior officers is believed to be aimed at realigning the police hierarchy under the incoming leadership.
“However, such a sweeping change in such a short time could paralyse decision-making processes and erode the experience base at the top.”
