In a major shake-up on Monday, President Bola Tinubu replaced Nigeria’s inspector general of police, Usman Baba.
Mr Tinubu appointed Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Kayode Egbetokun to replace Mr Baba who former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed in April 2021.
The president directed Mr Egbetokun to serve in an acting capacity pending his confirmation in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Mr Tinubu’s move was widely anticipated as he made security his optimum priority. The president has also relieved the service chiefs, including the heads of the army, air force, and navy of their appointments, and named replacements for them.
“Security shall be the top priority of our administration because neither prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence,” Mr Tinubu said in his inauguration speech.
Profile of the new IGP
Until his appointment Monday night, Mr Egbetokun, from Ogun State, was a deputy inspector general of police by rank.
He was born on 4th September 1964. He enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet ASP (Course 16) on 3 March 1990. Mr Egbetokun obtained a bachelor’s in Mathematics from the University of Lagos. He also has a Master’s degree in Engineering Analysis and Business Administration from the same university.
Mr Egbetokun has a PhD in Peace and Security Studies from Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Kwara State. He attended the Global Conference on Chemical Security and Emerging Threats held in Lyon France in 2018 and trained in several professional courses.
He served as police Area Commander in Osogbo, Osun State and Gusau, Zamfara State. From 1999 to 2005, he was a former chief security officer to Mr Tinubu when the latter served as governor of Lagos State.
He served as the Commander of Rapid Response Squad, Lagos; Squadron Commander, Mopol 5, Benin, Benin City; Officer-in-Charge, Anti-Fraud Unit, FCT Command, Abuja; and Chief Superintendent of Police, Administration, Lagos State Command Headquarters, Ikeja.
Mr Egbetokun is a former police commissioner in Kwara State and was an AIG in charge of Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja.
Before his latest appointment, Mr Egbetokun led the police force’s Criminal Investigations Department in Abuja.
He is a Member of the Society for Peace and Security Practice and a scholar in Peace and Security Studies
Mr Egbetokun loves reading and plays table tennis and recreational football.