President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday appointed Tunji Disu as acting inspector-general of Police following the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun. Announcing the decision, Tinubu said he approved Disu’s appointment with immediate effect in view of the country’s security challenges and in accordance with extant laws.
He expressed confidence that Disu’s experience and leadership capacity would provide direction for the force, adding that the Nigeria Police Council would meet in line with the Police Act 2020 to consider his appointment as substantive inspector-general of Police before forwarding it to the Senate for confirmation.
Since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999, the office of inspector-general of Police has reflected a clear pattern of regional distribution under successive presidents. From the South-West dominance under Olusegun Obasanjo to the North-West concentration during Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, and the current return to South-West leadership under Tinubu, the appointments provide insight into the intersection of policing, federal character, and political leadership.
Here is a breakdown of inspectors-general of police since 1999 by presidency and geopolitical zone.
Olusegun Obasanjo (1999–2007): All appointees from South-West
Under President Olusegun Obasanjo, all three inspectors-general of Police were from the South-West geopolitical zone.
Musiliu Smith (1999–2002) – Lagos State
Mustafa Balogun (2002–2005) – Osun State
Sunday Ehindero (2005–2007) – Ondo State
Their appointments reflected a regional concentration in the president’s home zone during the early years of the Fourth Republic.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (2007–2010): All appointees from South-East
President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua appointed two inspectors-general of Police, both from the South-East.
Mike Okiro (2007–2009) – Imo State
Ogbonna Onovo (2009–2010) – Enugu State
Mike Okiro holds a historic distinction as the first ethnic Igbo officer to become inspector-general of Police.
Read also: Tunji Disu: From Lagos crime units to inspector-general
Goodluck Jonathan (2010–2015): All appointees from North-West
During the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan, all inspectors-general appointed came from the North-West region.
Hafiz Ringim (2010–2012) – Jigawa State
Mohammed Dikko Abubakar (2012–2014) – Zamfara State
Suleiman Abba (2014–2015) – Kano State
This marked a shift from southern leadership to northern dominance in the police hierarchy.
Muhammadu Buhari (2015–2023): Mixed regional representation
Buhari appointed four inspectors-general of Police from three different geopolitical zones.
Solomon Arase (2015–2016) – South-South (Edo State)
Ibrahim Kpotun Idris (2016–2019) – North-Central (Niger State)
Mohammed Adamu (2019–2021) – North-Central (Nasarawa State)
Usman Alkali Baba (2021–2023) – North-East (Yobe State)
Bola Tinubu (2023–present): Return to South-West dominance
Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, both appointed inspectors-general of police are from the South-West.
Kayode Egbetokun (2023–2026) – Ogun State
Tunji Disu (2026–present) – Lagos State
Since 1999, Nigeria has had 14 Inspectors-General of Police across five presidencies. Regional concentration has varied by administration, with some presidents appointing exclusively from a single geopolitical zone, while others spread appointments across multiple regions.
