The Nigerian Police Force (NPF), today decorated the newly promoted Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu.
CP Disu holds a degree in English Education and two master’s degrees, one in Administration from Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State, the other in Criminology, Security, and Legal Psychology from Lagos State University. He has served in various sensitive capacities and have contributed immensely towards Police service delivery in Nigeria.
Education and training
Tunji Disu attended Holy Cross Cathedral primary school and completed his primary school education at Mayflower Junior School in Ikenne, Ogun State in 1979. He also went on to Pobuna Secondary Grammar School in Epe, and St Gregory’s College, Lagos where he finished his secondary education in 1985.
He later gained admission to study English (Education) at the Lagos State University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English Education in 1990. He obtained a post-graduate Diploma in International Relations and Strategic Studies from Lagos State University, and a certificate in Personal Protection from the United Kingdom.
Disu holds two master’s degrees in Public Administration and also in Criminology, Security, and Legal Psychology from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba (2010) and Lagos State University (2022) respectively.
He has also attended different professional courses within and outside Nigeria including Small Arms Smuggling Training in Botswana, Internet Fraud Training at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, Strategic Leadership Command Course at the Police Staff College, Jos, Forensic Investigations and Criminal Intelligence Course at the University of Lagos, amongst others.
Profile
Tunji was born in Lagos Island, Lagos state on April 13, 1966, and joined the Nigeria Police on May 18, 1992. Disu has served severally as DPO in Ago Iwoye (Ogun State), Ikare (Ondo State), Owo (Ondo State), Elimbu and Elelenwo, both in Rivers State.
He was also the Officer in Charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and anti-kidnapping in River State. He was SARS commander in Ondo, Oyo and Rivers States. He was also second in command (2IC) State Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Rivers States.
In 2005, as contingent commander, he led the first-ever Nigerian Police contingent on African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) on a peacekeeping mission. While in Darfur, he was appointed the acting Chief of Staff until his return to Nigeria in 2006.
He served as the commander of the Lagos State Rapid Respond Squad (RRS) between June 13, 2015, to August 2021. While in RRS, Disu named his officers ‘The Good Guys’, a move that helped reform officers to enforce the law responsibly, yet remain friendly to citizens while carrying out their activities.
Under Disu, the RRS provided its services through a partnership-based and proactive problem-solving style of policing, focusing on community engagement, crime prevention and law enforcement. The RRS equally made effective use of crime mapping and hot spot policing, which resulted in the visible positioning of police patrol vehicles for crime reduction across Lagos.
The RRS in return enjoyed the cooperation and admiration of Lagosians. The officers reportedly render help to drivers of broken down vehicles and assist accident victims. In 2020, Disu’s officers took a woman in labour to the hospital during the COVID-19 lockdown in Lagos.
Disu’s officers operated with an unusual mindset and adhered to the concept of policing by consent similar to advanced countries. The RRS officers were trained in the administration of First Aid and CPR, which was put to use when treating citizens in emergencies.
Tunji Disu served as the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja. On August 2, 2021, Usman Alkali Baba, the inspector-general of police (2022), appointed Disu as the new head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), a position previously held by Abba Kyari.
In July 2022, Usman Alkali Baba, the inspector-general of police commended the Disu-led Force Intelligence Bureau Intelligence Response Squad (FIB-IRT) for recent successes, which includes the arrest of a fraud syndicate specialized in breaching bank accounts of individuals and corporate bodies. DCP Tunji Disu was promoted to the rank of Commissioner of Police in March 2023 by the police service commission.
Membership
Tunji Disu is a member of various local and international professional bodies including; the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPM), International Institute of Certified Forensics Investigation Professionals, International Academy of Forensics and the National Association of Investigative Specialist, US (NAIS).
Judo
CP Disu won the silver medal on Sunday, July 31, 2022, at the 33rd U.S. Open Judo Championship where he contested in the minus 100 kg category of the veteran division. He is a third-dan black belter in Judo with many medals. Since becoming a judoka in 1986, he has won one gold medal at the national sports festival in 1990 in Bauchi, two gold medals at the Nigerian police games and a silver medal at the armed forces and police games. In November 2021, Disu won another gold medal at the first veteran championships organized by the Nigerian police.
He is formerly the Chairman of the Lagos State Judo Association and is currently the patron of the Nigerian Police Judo Association.
