Mr Kayode Egbetokun, the 22nd Inspector-General of Police (I-G) who served from June 19, 2023, to Feb. 24, 2026, undoubtedly left a significant legacy during his tenure.
Going by analysts’ accounts, leadership within Nigeria’s policing system has rarely been easy–every attempt at reform inevitably collides with entrenched interests that benefit from the status quo.
Nonetheless, observers say Egbetokun braced the odds.
His push for institutional reforms, ranging from pension restructuring to disciplinary measures and internal accountability triggered both praise and fierce resistance.
At the heart of his leadership philosophy was a simple principle; a police institution cannot effectively enforce the law if it is unwilling to enforce discipline within its own ranks.
The message was clear; those who dedicate their lives to protecting society deserve security and respect in retirement.
Such reforms were not only about welfare; they were about rebuilding trust within the ranks of the police
Records indicate that Egbetokun pushed for reforms that would improve pension administration and retirement benefits, restore dignity to service in the police and boost morale of officers through promotion based on merit.
The former police boss enforced accountability and discipline, maintaining a zero-tolerance policy for misconduct that resulted in the retirement of officers with falsified records.
Mr Isaiah Ijele, Executive Director, Concerned Citizens Leadership Integrity and Transparency Advocacy Initiative (CLITA), while x-raying the tenure of the former police boss, said that he not only reformed the police pension scheme, but also restored the dignity to service in the force.
“For decades, police pension administration was at a sore point within the force as retired officers who spent years protecting lives and property often found themselves battling bureaucratic obstacles to access their entitlements.
“Egbetokun’s advocacy for pension reform therefore struck at a deeply rooted injustice.
“He also made sure of promotions of officers across various ranks, as over the years stagnation within the system dampened morale and discouraged professionalism.
“His support for the advancement of officers helped address this long-standing concern, because promotions within a disciplined force are not merely ceremonial; they are powerful signals about what an institution values.
“By encouraging timely promotions, Egbetokun reinforced the principle that dedication and performance should be recognised, thereby strengthening morale and operational effectiveness.’’
He added that the most controversial reform during the former IGP tenure was the retirement of officers discovered to have falsified official documents.
According to him, integrity is non-negotiable in any law enforcement institution.
Officers who gain entry or advancement through fraudulent records undermine the credibility of the entire force.
“Importantly, the decision to retire these officers was not arbitrary.
“The recommendation came from the Police Service Commission, the statutory body responsible for oversight and discipline within the police.
“Yet, in spite of this institutional process, some of the affected officers later organised campaigns of calumny against Egbetokun, attempting to portray the reform as a personal vendetta’’
The CLITA executive director noted that reforms that challenged entrenched misconduct often provoke backlash from those whose interests were threatened.
He added that beyond the issue of falsified documents, Egbetokun’s leadership also witnessed the dismissal of numerous officers for various acts of misconduct.
“Public trust in the police has long been fragile. By taking decisive action against erring officers, Egbetokun signaled that accountability would not be selective.’’
On the state police debate, Ejele said that the former I-G’s perspective on state policing contributed to one of Nigeria’s most important national conversations.
He said that while acknowledging the advantages of decentralised policing, Egbetokun consistently emphasised the need for careful implementation and strong institutional safeguards.
Ijele said that the debate over state police was ultimately about balancing efficiency with accountability.
He said that without proper legal and operational frameworks, decentralisation could create new risks even as it promised local responsiveness.
‘’Egbetokun’s position highlighted the need for thoughtful planning rather than politically driven haste,’’ Ijele said.
Similarly, a security expert, Abubakar Sadeeq, said that there was no doubt, the former I-G was a thorough breed professional who gave his best in the service of fatherland.
Sadeeq said it was evident in his strategic approach to reposition the force.
He added that one of such initiatives began in September, 2025, when Nigeria Police, under his leadership crossed a digital milestone with the inauguration of a nationwide training for operatives of the new criminal database system.
He said the reform aimed at ending forgotten cases, preventing repeat offenders from crossing to another state on a clean slate, and giving citizens confidence that justice would no longer vanish in dusty files.
Sadeeq cited Egbetokun as saying that the force criminal database system was not just electronic support, but also memory of justice system and the heartbeat of intelligence-led policing.
“This initiative will be linked to Interpol and other crime-fighting networks, making it hard for traffickers, smugglers, terrorists, among others, to find a safe haven abroad,” he quoted Egbetokun as saying.
The security expert also said that the introduction of annual Police Award and Commendation ceremony meant to celebrate exceptional officers, stimulate excellent service within the ranks and promote institutional integrity by the former police boss was novel.
“Various categories of awards and commendation were instituted to be won by officers up to the rank of Commissioner of Police.
“The officer who emerges the policeman of the year in the award ceremony is specially celebrated with his picture boldly displayed at the entrances of the Force Headquarters in Abuja and all police headquarters across the country in addition to other benefits.
“This was novel and impacted significantly on the morale of the officers who are now competing for the different award categories with excellence.
“Just as many officers were rewarded, many were also punished. Egbetokun’s tenure celebrated exceptional officers, reinforced good conduct and punished bad conduct.
“He gave the force bite but as you know in our country, reforms are difficult,’’ he said.
In addition, Dr Patrick Digda, a maritime security expert, said that Egbetokun was the I-G who mandated the activation of section 23,24 and 25 in Nigeria training schedule principles.
He said that the Special Police Unit (SPU) was reformed, training and retraining of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel were regularly carried out and many more transparent policies in training.
‘’Supernumerary provision was followed according to the guiding principles of Nigeria Police Force.
“Under his watch, policemen that were irrational in discharging their civic duties were reprimanded and those on the extreme were shown the way out for lack of integrity and flagrant disobedience to the first rule of realistic suspicious probable,’’ he said.
Security analysts are of the submission that Egbetokun’s tenure reflected this dynamic.
“History shows that meaningful reforms often encounter resistance from those who benefit from existing structures.
“Efforts to improve pensions, promote deserving officers, discipline misconduct, and uphold integrity within the police inevitably disrupted certain interests.
“Yet institutions cannot evolve without confronting uncomfortable truths; history shows that meaningful reforms often encounter resistance from those who benefit from existing structures,’’ a security analyst said.
Ultimately, stakeholders believe that reforms associated with Egbetokun’s leadership demonstrate that strengthening the Nigeria Police Force requires both courage and a willingness to withstand criticism.
By Deborah Coker
