Several senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force, including Deputy Inspector-General of Police Frank Mba, may leave service alongside outgoing Inspector-General of Police Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun following the appointment of Olatunji Disu as the 23rd Inspector-General of Police by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Mba, who currently serves as Deputy Inspector-General in charge of the Department of Training and Development at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, is reportedly among at least four DIGs expected to exit the force as part of the leadership transition.
Before his elevation, Disu was the Assistant Inspector-General of Police overseeing the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Alagbon, Lagos.
Sources within police circles say that whenever a new IGP is appointed, significant changes often follow at the top of the force’s hierarchy, sometimes affecting serving Deputy Inspectors-General. However, it remains unclear whether DIG Fayoade Adegoke Mustapha, DIG Funsho Adegboye and DIG Mohammed Adamu Dankwara, who were recently promoted, will retire alongside Egbetokun.
According to an internal list circulating within the police, several DIGs heading key departments at the Force Headquarters may be affected by the transition.
Those mentioned include Yahaya S. Abubakar, the Deputy Inspector-General in charge of Finance and Administration; Mba, who oversees Training and Development; Adebola Hamzat, head of Logistics and Supply; and Adebowale Williams, who supervises Information and Communication Technology.
Others listed are Sadiq Idris Abubakar, who heads the Force Criminal Investigation Department; Ben Nebolisa Okolo, in charge of the Force Intelligence Department; and Basil O. Idegwu, responsible for Research and Planning.
While the list identifies the officers and their roles, police authorities have yet to officially confirm the timing or details of any retirement or redeployment linked to the leadership change.
A source familiar with developments in the force noted that several of the officers, including Disu and Mba, were coursemates.
“Disu, Fayoade, Funsho and Dankwara are Frank Mba’s coursemates. If not for the rapid promotion of Mba due to the quota system, he should not be leaving office now,” the source said.
The source added that the officers joined the police in the same year, 1992, but through different entry cadres.
“Mba joined the Nigeria Police as a Cadet Inspector, while Disu and others entered as Assistant Superintendents of Police in 1992. Usually, those who entered as ASPs are promoted faster than those who came in as Cadet Inspectors. However, the reverse was the case with Mba and his coursemates,” the source explained.
It was also gathered that even the three newly promoted DIGs may retire between June and July due to age considerations.
Mba is widely regarded for his background in strategic communications and law enforcement, having held several high-profile positions within the force.
He rose to national prominence as a three-time Force Public Relations Officer, serving as the public spokesman of the police and becoming known for his media engagement and communication skills.
He also held key operational roles, including Commissioner of Police in Ogun State and later Assistant Inspector-General in charge of the FCID Annex in Alagbon, Lagos, before attaining the rank of Deputy Inspector-General.
Beyond domestic assignments, Mba served on the Nigerian police contingent to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Liberia between 2006 and 2007, where he received the UN Medal for his service.
Academically, Mba holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002. He later earned a Master of Laws degree with distinction from the University of Dundee. He also attended the FBI National Academy in the United States and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Jos as part of his professional development.
Disu, meanwhile, has built a reputation for operational and strategic leadership within the police, having served in several key postings across the country. He previously held the position of Commissioner of Police in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Rivers State.
He gained national prominence in 2021 when he was appointed to head the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) following the suspension of the unit’s former leader. Before then, he led the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad between 2015 and 2021, where his leadership style was often described as people-centred, earning the team the nickname “The Good Guys.”
His international policing experience includes leading the first Nigerian police contingent deployed to the African Union Mission in Sudan in 2005.
Born on April 13, 1966, in Lagos Island, Disu holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Education from Lagos State University. He also obtained two master’s degrees in Public Administration and in Criminology, Security and Legal Psychology.
Disu joined the police as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police on May 18, 1992, beginning a career that has spanned more than three decades in law enforcement. #securitynewsalert.com
