The newly appointed Acting Inspector-General of Police (Ag. IGP), Tunji Disu, is a seasoned law enforcement officer with over three decades of experience in policing, intelligence operations, and strategic security management. Born in Lagos and hailing from Lagos Island Local Government Area of Lagos State, Disu began his policing career on May 18, 1992, when he was enlisted as an Assistant Superintendent of Police.
Over the years, Disu has held several strategic commands across Nigeria, building a reputation for operational excellence and crime-fighting innovation. Before his latest elevation, he served as Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos, a position he assumed in February 2026. He previously headed the Special Protection Unit (SPU) at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, between March 2025 and February 2026, and also served at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command from October 2024 to March 2025.
His leadership experience includes serving as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State from November 2023 to October 2024, as well as Commissioner of Police, Admin and Intelligence, at the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB). As Deputy Commissioner of Police, he led the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) from 2021 to 2023 and also oversaw Admin Operations at the Force Headquarters. Between 2015 and 2021, Disu commanded the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Lagos, where he spearheaded several high-profile anti-crime operations that significantly enhanced urban security.
Earlier in his career, he served as Assistant Commissioner of Police at the Criminal Investigation Department in Rivers State and was Officer in Charge of Anti-Kidnapping operations in the state. He also headed the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Ondo and Oyo states, served as Divisional Police Officer in Ondo State, and was Officer in Charge of Training at the Nigerian Police Peacekeeping Department. In 1999, he was appointed Aide-De-Camp (ADC) to former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu.
Academically, Disu has consistently pursued higher education alongside his policing career. He holds a Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship from National Open University of Nigeria (2023), a Master’s degree in Criminology, Security and Legal Psychology from Lagos State University (2022), and an Advanced Diploma in Forensic Investigation and Criminal Intelligence from University of Lagos (2019). He also earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Adekunle Ajasin University (2010), a Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations and Strategic Studies from LASU (2000), and a Bachelor’s degree in English (Education) from LASU (1989).
Throughout his career, the Ag. IGP has received numerous awards in recognition of his service. He was named Best Commissioner of Police of the Year at the 2024 Inspector-General of Police Recognition Awards. Under his leadership, the Rapid Response Squad was adjudged the Most Outstanding Urban Crime Control Police Command in West and Central Africa in 2019. He has also been honoured as Most Outstanding Police Operational Officer in West Africa and Africa (2016), and was named Man of the Year 2018 by the Crime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (CRAN).
Beyond policing, Disu is actively involved in professional and sporting circles. He is a member of the International Academy of Forensics, the National Association of Investigative Specialists (USA), the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. A third dan black belt in Judo, he serves as National Chairman of the Nigeria Police Judo Association and won a silver medal at the 2022 US Open Judo Championships.
Notably, he successfully led the first-ever Nigerian Police contingent to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) in 2005 to help quell the crisis in Darfur. Married with children, Tunji Disu brings to his new role a blend of operational expertise, academic depth, and international peacekeeping experience, positioning him as a key figure in Nigeria’s evolving security architecture.
