SUNTV Global Channel Report
A Nigerian lawyer and activist, Tope Temokun, has reacted strongly to the reported exit of former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, describing the development as a powerful reminder that authority in public office is fleeting and ultimately subject to accountability.
The reaction followed reports earlier on Tuesday that President Bola Tinubu accepted Egbetokun’s resignation after he reportedly cited pressing family reasons in his letter. Sources, however, indicated that the former police chief had been directed to step down and prepare his handover notes.
Egbetokun, who was appointed in June 2023 for a statutory four-year term expected to run until 2027 under the Police Act, leaves office amid controversy and criticism over his leadership style.
The Presidency has announced the immediate appointment of Assistant Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu as Acting Inspector-General. According to official statements, the Nigeria Police Council will soon meet to consider his confirmation as substantive IGP before forwarding his name to the Senate.
Temokun said he first learned of Egbetokun’s departure while inside the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he was representing activist Omoyele Sowore against multiple criminal charges filed by the police.
He noted that although the news initially seemed unbelievable, it ultimately reinforced what he described as an “inevitable lesson” in public service — that power never lasts forever.
In his statement titled “Egbetokun’s Exit And The Lessons Of History,” Temokun accused the former IGP of prioritizing power over institutional responsibility. He alleged that during Egbetokun’s tenure, state authority was frequently used to target dissenting voices through intimidation, harassment, and politically motivated prosecutions.
He also pointed to what he described as a “major miscalculation,” claiming Egbetokun involved Lagos police leadership in declaring Sowore wanted — a move Temokun said backfired legally and institutionally.
According to him, the Lagos Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, has now been left “alone in the cold” for allegedly taking part in what he called a proxy battle.
Temokun further highlighted what he described as a symbolic outcome of Egbetokun’s tenure — a reported ₦30 million court-ordered liability arising from actions taken while in office.
He argued that such a legacy sends a strong message to public officials about the consequences of misusing state power.
Addressing serving officers and incoming police leadership, Temokun emphasized that public office demands restraint, respect for citizens’ rights, and adherence to the rule of law.
He warned that whenever authority is turned into a weapon against citizens, “the clock of reckoning begins to tick,” adding that accountability may come quietly or suddenly — but always inevitably.
