Pressure is mounting on President Bola Tinubu to remove the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, following growing dissatisfaction among police personnel over his leadership, SaharaReporters has learned.
Sources revealed that IGP Egbetokun is anxious about the situation, with Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Idegwu Basil Okuoma, the former Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police for Zone 14, Katsina, being considered a potential replacement.
According to a police wireless message dated Thursday, March 6, 2025, and exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters, DIG Idegwu has been appointed to head the Department of Research and Planning at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
DIG Idegwu hails from Ute-Erumu town in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A. Hons) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, a master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Ibadan, and a Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Peace and Conflict Studies from the same institution.
Enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force in May 1992 as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Idegwu has held several key positions, including Commissioner of Police in charge of Election Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Federal Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Before his recent promotion to DIG, he served as the AIG for Zone 14, covering Kaduna and Katsina states.
SaharaReporters also learned that due to the unfolding situation, IGP Egbetokun was unable to travel to the UK, where he had been scheduled to attend an international conference.
Sources revealed that Egbetokun has recently been experiencing health issues due to stress, as he lives with only one kidney after facing a kidney-related problem years ago when he was a Chief Superintendent of Police.
The UK trip was expected to provide Egbetokun with an opportunity to seek medical attention under the guise of attending the security conference.
In a letter dated March 4, 2025, Egbetokun sought President Tinubu’s approval to attend the Government Global Security Event on Home Office Security and Policing 2025 in London, scheduled for March 11 to 13, 2025.
Police IG Egbetokun’s Letter Seeking Permission To Travel
In his letter to President Tinubu dated March 4, 2025, Egbetokun referred to an invitation from the Deputy Defence Adviser at the British High Commission, inviting him to attend the Home Office Security and Policing 2025 event scheduled for March 11 to 13, 2025, at the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre in London, United Kingdom.
Egbetokun explained that attending the event would offer an important opportunity to strengthen law enforcement partnerships and assist in tackling internal and cross-border security threats.
He sought President Tinubu’s approval to attend the meeting in person, noting that in his absence, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Frank Mba would manage his responsibilities.
However, the application was denied.
“Tinubu is under immense pressure to replace Egbetokun, and this has left him panicking because his position as IGP is uncertain,” a top government source told SaharaReporters.
“The IGP has also recently been struggling with health issues due to stress. He functions with a single kidney after undergoing a kidney replacement a few years ago when he was a CSP.
“These health challenges have affected his work schedule—he now arrives at the office around 1 p.m. and leaves early due to his condition. His request to travel to the UK was rejected by the President, who reportedly viewed it as inappropriate to seek medical treatment in London,” a source said.
The recent forced retirement of senior officers in the Nigeria Police Force has weakened confidence in Egbetokun’s leadership, fuelled by allegations of discrimination and disregard for court orders concerning the retirement process.
In March 2024, several senior officers accused IGP Egbetokun of discrimination for failing to reinstate colleagues who were forcibly retired before reaching the mandatory retirement age or completing 35 years of service, despite a court ruling in their favour.
The situation worsened in January 2025 when Egbetokun ordered an investigation into senior officers accused of falsifying their service records to prolong their tenure. Critics argue that he intentionally delayed the probe until after securing an extension of his own tenure, raising doubts about his impartiality.
These developments have likely contributed to the growing lack of confidence in Egbetokun’s leadership among members of the Force.
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