Who is Tunji Disu

The appointment of Olatunji Ridwan Disu as Acting Inspector-General of Police signals a leadership shift within the Nigeria Police Force, with the senior officer bringing more than 30 years of operational, intelligence and administrative experience to the role.

Born in Lagos, Disu joined the police as an Assistant Superintendent of Police on May 18, 1992, and has risen through the ranks across multiple strategic commands and specialised units.

Prior to his new role, he served as Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Alagbon, Lagos, from February 2026. He previously headed the Special Protection Unit at Force Headquarters in Abuja and held key assignments within the FCT Police Command.

Disu’s career also includes service as Commissioner of Police for Rivers State, Commissioner of Police for Administration and Intelligence at the Force Intelligence Bureau, and Deputy Commissioner of Police leading the Intelligence Response Team. He gained national recognition during his tenure as Commander of the Rapid Response Squad in Lagos between 2015 and 2021, where he led several urban crime-control initiatives.

Earlier postings saw him serve as an Assistant Commissioner of Police in the Criminal Investigation Department in Rivers State, Officer in Charge of anti-kidnapping operations, and head of Special Anti-Robbery Squad units across Ondo and Oyo states. He also worked as a Divisional Police Officer, training officer in the police peace-keeping department and directing staff at the Police Academy in Kano.

Disu once served as Aide-De-Camp to former Lagos State governor Bola Tinubu in 1999, a role that formed part of his early leadership exposure within the force.

Academically, he holds multiple postgraduate qualifications, including master’s degrees in Entrepreneurship from the National Open University of Nigeria, Criminology, Security and Legal Psychology from Lagos State University, and Public Administration from Adekunle Ajasin University. He also earned an advanced diploma in forensic investigation and criminal intelligence from the University of Lagos.

Throughout his career, Disu has received numerous honours, including Commissioner of Police of the Year at the Inspector-General’s Recognition Awards in 2024 and several regional awards for anti-crime operations and urban policing excellence. His work with the Rapid Response Squad also earned international recognition for crime control in West and Central Africa.

Beyond policing, Disu is affiliated with several professional bodies, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management.

He also has peace-keeping experience, having led Nigeria’s first police contingent to the African Union Mission in Sudan in 2005. Outside law enforcement, Disu is a third-dan black belt in judo, chairs the Nigeria Police Judo Association and won a silver medal at the 2022 US Open Judo Championships.

His appointment is expected to bring a mix of operational expertise, intelligence-driven policing and institutional reforms as the police leadership confronts evolving security challenges nationwide.