Who Is Tunji Disu?
Tunji Disu (born April 13, 1966) has been appointed Inspector-General of the Nigeria Police, subject to confirmation by the Nigerian Senate. His appointment follows the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun and marks another significant shift in the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force.
Before his elevation, Disu served as Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. He had earlier held the same rank in Rivers State before being redeployed to Abuja. He also served as Principal Staff Officer to the Inspector-General of Police.
A member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Disu previously headed the Police Force’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT), a unit once led by Abba Kyari.
Early Life and Education
Disu was born on Lagos Island, Lagos State. He began his education at Holy Cross Cathedral Primary School and completed his primary schooling at Mayflower Junior School in Ikenne, Ogun State, in 1979. He attended Pobuna Secondary Grammar School in Epe and later St. Gregory’s College in Lagos, where he finished secondary school in 1985.
He earned a Bachelor’s degree in English (Education) from Lagos State University in 1990. He later obtained a postgraduate diploma in International Relations and Strategic Studies from the same institution, along with a certificate in Personal Protection from the United Kingdom.
Disu also holds two master’s degrees: one in Public Administration from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba (2010), and another in Criminology, Security, and Legal Psychology from Lagos State University (2022).
Over the years, he has attended several professional courses within and outside Nigeria, including Small Arms Smuggling Training in Botswana, Internet Fraud Training at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, the Strategic Leadership Command Course at the Police Staff College in Jos, and a Forensic Investigations and Criminal Intelligence course at the University of Lagos.
Policing Career
Disu joined the Nigeria Police Force on May 18, 1992. Throughout his career, he has served in multiple operational and leadership roles across the country.
He worked as Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ago Iwoye (Ogun State), Ikare and Owo (Ondo State), as well as Elimbu and Elelenwo in Rivers State. He led Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and anti-kidnapping operations in Rivers State and served as SARS commander in Ondo, Oyo, and Rivers States. He was also the second-in-command of the Rivers State Criminal Investigation Department.
In 2005, he led Nigeria’s first police contingent to a peacekeeping mission under the African Union in Sudan. While serving in Darfur, he was appointed Interim Chief of Staff before returning to Nigeria in 2006.
Leadership of Lagos RRS
From June 2015 to August 2021, Disu headed the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS). During his tenure, he rebranded the squad with a community-focused approach, referring to officers as “The Good Guys” to promote responsible and people-friendly policing.
Under his leadership, the RRS adopted proactive strategies such as crime mapping and hotspot policing, ensuring visible patrol presence across Lagos. The unit also embraced consent-based policing and community partnership, earning positive public recognition.
RRS officers were trained in First Aid and CPR and were known to assist accident victims and stranded motorists. During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, officers reportedly transported a woman in labour to a hospital, reflecting the squad’s service-oriented approach.
Intelligence and National Roles
Disu later served as Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
On August 2, 2021, then-Inspector-General Usman Alkali Baba appointed him as head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), succeeding Abba Kyari. Under his leadership, the Force Intelligence Bureau’s Intelligence Response Squad (FIB-IRT) recorded notable successes, including the dismantling of a fraud syndicate involved in hacking bank accounts.
In March 2023, the Police Service Commission promoted him to the rank of Commissioner of Police.
Appointment as Inspector-General
In February 2026, Bola Tinubu appointed Tunji Disu as Acting Inspector-General of Police, pending Senate confirmation.
With over three decades of policing experience, his appointment places him at the helm of Nigeria’s law enforcement at a critical time for national security and institutional reform.
