IGP Egbetokun Resigns as Presidency Confirms Sudden Leadership Change
Chukwu Obinna 
Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Presidency confirms the resignation of Kayode Egbetokun as Inspector-General of Police, citing family matters, amid mounting pressure over Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga on Tuesday says the former police chief submitted his resignation in a letter on Monday, stating that personal issues now require his “undivided attention”.
However, multiple Presidency sources say Egbetokun is asked to step down during a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“It was not a routine visit,” a senior official tells reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity. “He was summoned.”
Witnesses observe Egbetokun’s official vehicle entering the Villa around 6:40pm, shortly before governors arrive for an interfaith iftar with the President. He later returns to the State House at about 8:00pm, where his vehicle undergoes security screening by Department of State Services operatives.
Appointed in June 2023, Egbetokun faces intense criticism over escalating insecurity, including kidnappings, banditry and terrorist attacks across several states.
High-profile incidents include the abduction of nearly 300 schoolchildren in Niger State in November 2025, deadly attacks in Kwara communities in February 2026, and persistent highway kidnappings nationwide.
Earlier on Monday, President Tinubu reiterated his commitment to establishing state police, declaring during the iftar that “security is the foundation of prosperity”.
Egbetokun’s exit marks a pivotal moment for Nigeria’s security architecture as public pressure mounts for urgent reform.
About the Author
Oluwafunbi Bello 
Oluwatobi Adu 