Disu’s Appointment Could Force Senior Officers Into Retirement, Open Door For CP Promotions

The recent appointment of Tunji Disu as Acting Inspector-General of Police is expected to prompt significant changes within the leadership structure of the Nigeria Police Force, with indications that several senior officers may consider stepping down in line with long-standing institutional practices.

According to Ireporter Online, sources within the Police Service Commission disclosed that between 15 and 20 senior officers who outrank the acting IGP could be affected by the development. Insiders noted that it has become a recurring practice for officers senior to a newly appointed Inspector-General to tender their resignations, although such decisions are not mandatory.

A senior official familiar with the situation explained that recent precedent suggests that officers who are senior to the new police chief may feel compelled to relinquish their positions, while some may opt to remain in service and continue under the new leadership. The source further observed that among the serving Deputy Inspectors-General, there are officers whose former coursemates still hold comparatively lower ranks, illustrating the complexity of seniority within the force.

However, other insiders clarified that unlike in the military, resignation of senior officers following the appointment of a junior is not deeply entrenched within police culture. They emphasized that there have been instances where senior officers chose to remain in service, just as there have been cases where others stepped aside.

Currently, Deputy Inspectors-General senior to Disu oversee strategic departments such as Finance and Administration, Operations, Logistics and Supply, the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Training and Development, Research and Planning, Information and Communication Technology, as well as the Force Intelligence Bureau. Any decision by these senior officers to resign could open up key leadership positions within the hierarchy.

Sources added that the potential exit of senior DIGs and Assistant Inspectors-General could pave the way for upward mobility among junior AIGs, Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners of Police, and other officers. The anticipated restructuring is therefore expected to trigger a fresh wave of promotions and redeployments as the force adjusts to its new leadership direction.