President Bola Tinubu has reportedly relieved Kayode Egbetokun of his duties as Inspector-General of Police.
Presidential aides who spoke confidentially with Punch on Tuesday confirmed the development, stating that the decision followed a meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.
“Yes. Egbetokun is gone,” one of the aides said when contacted.
“A formal statement is being prepared as we speak. The announcement will be made soon,” another aide added.
Sources revealed that during the meeting at the Villa, Tinubu asked Egbetokun to step aside.
Attempts to reach the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, for confirmation were unsuccessful, as calls and messages sent to him had not been answered as of press time.
Likewise, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, did not respond to calls seeking official clarification.
Meanwhile, insiders within the police hierarchy suggested that a replacement may already have been considered.
A source who requested anonymity disclosed that Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, had been approached regarding the role.
“He has been contacted, but we are all waiting for the official confirmation, which should come later in the day,” the source said.
Egbetokun was appointed Inspector-General of Police on June 19, 2023, by President Tinubu.
His tenure sparked public debate in 2024 after he reached the mandatory retirement age of 60 on September 4 of that year.
However, his stay in office was extended after an amendment to the Police Act permitted an appointed IGP to serve a fixed four-year term.
