DEATH SENTENCE’ LIFTED: Retired Police Officers Erupt in Jubilation Over ‘Shameful’ Forced Exit of IGP Egbetokun

By Our Reporter – February 25, 2026

In a torrent of venomous condemnation and unbridled relief, a coalition of retired police officers has celebrated the forced exit of former Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, describing his removal as a liberation from what they call the “death sentence” of his tenure.

The retired officers, speaking through the Association of retired police officers under the Contributory Pension Scheme, did not mince words in their assessment of the ousted police chief, who was compelled to resign on Tuesday following a dramatic meeting at the Presidential Villa .

“To the retirees especially those under CPS it’s a great relief from an insensitive man who has held them on the jugular,” declared SP Charles Muka (Retd.) of Delta Command in a blistering statement released to newsmen.

The eruption of jubilation, which sources confirm swept through police commands and formations nationwide, paints the picture of a force deeply fractured by the leadership of a man the Presidency officially claims resigned to attend to “pressing family considerations” .

A Legacy of ‘Deceit’ and Abandonment

The retired officers accused Egbetokun of overseeing a catastrophic decline in police welfare and operational effectiveness while indulging in optics over substance.

“Under him, the welfare of the serving members plummeted to the lowest ebb. Crime rate surged and the men ill motivated,” Muka’s statement read. “While crime surged, IGP was in Asaba organizing Police games which was largely seen as ill-timed.”

But it was the treatment of retirees languishing under the Contributory Pension Scheme that drew the fiercest ire. The retired officers described an IGP who they claim sabotaged their hopes of escaping a retirement benefits system they characterize as punitive.

“Retirees under CPS who groan daily, will never forget nor forgive Egbetokun for working against their exit from the death sentence of a scheme,” the statement continued. “‘Where will they exit to’ will continue to echo in their minds.”

The officers alleged that despite multiple public hearings on the exit crisis, Egbetokun offered no coherent solution. “At a point he planned to use undeclared Police internally generated revenue and monies from friends to pay retirees,” Muka alleged. “All these turned deceitful and buying of time.”

Perhaps most damning was the claim that while retirees staged protests at the National Assembly gate for over a month, the IGP “kept mute.”

Forced Out, Not Resigned

Despite the Presidency’s insistence that Egbetokun submitted a voluntary resignation letter citing family reasons , multiple police sources confirmed to various news outlets that the former IGP was taken completely unawares by the directive to hand over .

“He was at the Villa yesterday and was told to go and prepare his handover notes,” a source told Sahara Reporters, adding that President Bola Tinubu directed him to step aside, with some sources citing health challenges including kidney-related issues .

The First Lady, Remi Tinubu, was reportedly opposed to the removal and “fought that he should remain in office despite all the scandals,” but the President remained adamant .

The Disu Era Begins

As the embattled Egbetokun vacates office, AIG Tunji Disu has been appointed in an acting capacity . The retired officers have issued a stark warning to the incoming police chief: fix the pension crisis or face the same verdict.

“We look forward to seeing him right the wrongs. We expect him to face the exit plan to bolster his image and create motivation for the serving members who look up to retirement,” Muka stated.

The transition has already triggered a massive shake-up at the top echelons of the force, with at least eight Deputy Inspectors-General expected to proceed on compulsory retirement following the appointment of a junior officer as IGP . Senior AIGs may also be affected in what insiders describe as a necessary restructuring to maintain command hierarchy .

‘He Will Not Be Remembered for Anything’

For the retired officers who have long agitated for pension reform, Egbetokun’s exit represents not just a changing of the guard but a moral reckoning.

“To us his shameful and infamous removal is a great relief. Egbetokun will not be remembered for anything,” the statement concluded.

As one police officer at the Lagos Command put it more bluntly: “The man was not firm as an IGP; he was too weak. He should have left ever since his colleagues retired, but he was busy playing politics” .

With Disu now at the helm pending confirmation by the Nigeria Police Council and the Senate, the question remains whether the institutional rot and pension crisis lamented by the retirees will finally receive the attention they demand.

For the men and women under the Contributory Pension Scheme, however, Tuesday marked a day of deliverance.

“Our relief has come,” Muka declared. “We may soon heave a sigh of relief. To God be the glory. Amen.”