IGP Egbetokun Resigned For Family Reasons — Presidency

The Presidency has confirmed the resignation of Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, who stepped down from office on Monday, citing family-related issues that required his full attention.

According to Punch Online, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in response to an inquiry on Tuesday.

“The IGP resigned in a letter today, citing family issues which require his undivided attention,” Onanuga said.

However, multiple sources within the Presidential Villa revealed that Egbetokun’s exit was not entirely voluntary. According to top officials familiar with the matter, President Bola Tinubu reportedly asked the police chief to step down during a meeting held at the State House, Abuja, on Monday evening.

“It was in that meeting he was asked to go,” a senior Presidency official told our correspondent under the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Eyewitnesses at the Villa said Egbetokun’s official vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser bearing number plate NPF-01, was seen arriving at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa around 6:40 p.m. The police chief, dressed in his black uniform but without his cap, alighted from the vehicle and requested his notepad from an aide before proceeding inside.

His arrival coincided with that of several governors attending an interfaith Iftar dinner with the President, sparking initial speculation about the purpose of his visit.

A Villa source later confirmed that Egbetokun had been “specifically summoned” by the President for a closed-door meeting.

“He was called in. It wasn’t a routine visit,” the source added.

Security officials further disclosed that the IGP returned to the Villa later that night, around 8:00 p.m., where his vehicle was subjected to a thorough search by Department of State Services (DSS) operatives at the gate.

Egbetokun, appointed IGP on June 19, 2023, had in recent months came under increasing criticism over Nigeria’s worsening internal security crisis, including mass kidnappings, terrorist attacks, and banditry across several states.

High-profile incidents during his tenure included the abduction of nearly 300 schoolchildren from St. Mary’s Boarding School in Niger State in November 2025, a series of mass killings in Kwara State in February 2026, and persistent highway kidnappings nationwide.

During Monday’s Iftar with state governors, President Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to tackling insecurity through the establishment of state police, saying it was no longer a matter to be delayed.

“Security is the foundation of prosperity,” the President declared. “Without it, farms cannot flourish, businesses cannot grow, and families cannot sleep in peace. We will establish state police to curb insecurity.”

Before his appointment as IGP, Egbetokun served as Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID). He succeeded Usman Alkali Baba, whose extended tenure under former President Muhammadu Buhari ended in September 2023.