Who is after IGP Kayode Egbetokun?

In the restless theatre of Nigerian power, where ambition tiptoes behind protocol and reform often walks a lonely road, the Inspector General of Police, KayodeEgbetokun, finds himself in a familiar storm. Not one of his own making, perhaps—but of his resolve.

Appointed in June 2023 by President Bola Tinubu, Egbetokun entered the fray not as a novice to power but as its long-time observer. From his early days lecturing mathematics to commanding rapid response squads across the federation, the man has stitched together a CV both cerebral and combat-tested. Reform, in his hands, was not a campaign slogan—it was calculus.But change is rarely quiet. And now, like clockwork, the whisper campaign has begun.

Faceless blogs. Cryptic opinion pieces. Anonymous “concerns” leaked to pliant platforms. If one listens carefully, there’s a certain cadence to the critiques: not policy, but personality. Not misconduct, but mischief. The old guard, insiders suggest, isn’t pleased.

“Some expected the baton. Others just want the old ways back,” one senior officer quipped under strict anonymity. “What we’re seeing is the pushback of entitlement.”

Sources within the Force describe Egbetokun as the sort who burns midnight oil until 4 a.m., chasing the elusive goal of a more disciplined, modern police. His insistence on upholding service rules, especially around retirement and postings, has reportedly bruised egos. But among the rank-and-file, the sentiment tilts in his favour. Quiet admiration meets quiet rebellion. Classic Nigeria.

And then there’s his longstanding link to the President—Tinubu’s onetime Chief Security Officer, now his top cop. That bond, too, has drawn envy and speculation in equal measure.

But Egbetokun has said little, preferring action over argument. Perhaps, in his quiet, there’s a wager: that the noise will fade, and reforms will endure.

Who is after the IGP? That’s not the question. The better one might be: who fears what he represents?

In the restless theatre of Nigerian power, where ambition tiptoes behind protocol and reform often walks a lonely road, the Inspector General of Police, KayodeEgbetokun, finds himself in a familiar storm. Not one of his own making, perhaps—but of his resolve.

Appointed in June 2023 by President Bola Tinubu, Egbetokun entered the fray not as a novice to power but as its long-time observer. From his early days lecturing mathematics to commanding rapid response squads across the federation, the man has stitched together a CV both cerebral and combat-tested. Reform, in his hands, was not a campaign slogan—it was calculus.But change is rarely quiet. And now, like clockwork, the whisper campaign has begun.

Faceless blogs. Cryptic opinion pieces. Anonymous “concerns” leaked to pliant platforms. If one listens carefully, there’s a certain cadence to the critiques: not policy, but personality. Not misconduct, but mischief. The old guard, insiders suggest, isn’t pleased.

“Some expected the baton. Others just want the old ways back,” one senior officer quipped under strict anonymity. “What we’re seeing is the pushback of entitlement.”

Sources within the Force describe Egbetokun as the sort who burns midnight oil until 4 a.m., chasing the elusive goal of a more disciplined, modern police. His insistence on upholding service rules, especially around retirement and postings, has reportedly bruised egos. But among the rank-and-file, the sentiment tilts in his favour. Quiet admiration meets quiet rebellion. Classic Nigeria.

And then there’s his longstanding link to the President—Tinubu’s onetime Chief Security Officer, now his top cop. That bond, too, has drawn envy and speculation in equal measure.

But Egbetokun has said little, preferring action over argument. Perhaps, in his quiet, there’s a wager: that the noise will fade, and reforms will endure.

Who is after the IGP? That’s not the question. The better one might be: who fears what he represents?