True to BusinessDay’s exclusive story of Sunday 1st August 2021, the inspector-general of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali on Monday 2nd August 2021 approved the posting of DCP Tunji Disu from the Police Force Headquarters to the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) as Commander.
He replaces DCP Abba Kyari who was suspended on Sunday for his alleged involvement in the Huspuppi scandal. The posting of Disu is on the heels of Police authority’s decision to fill the leadership gap within the IRT and refocus the Unit for better service delivery.
BusinessDay, Nigeria’s most authoritative business and financial intelligence newspaper had in an exclusive report published on Sunday, stated that the new head of the intelligence response team would be announced on Monday 2nd August 2021.
The paper also stated that he would be appointed from outside the IRT in line with the position of senior police officers and members of the Police Service Commission (PSC). The announcement of the appointment of DCP Tunde Disu, a deputy commissioner of Police, Force Headquarters, Abuja as the substantive head of the IGP-IRT confirmed the report.
Meanwhile, BusinessDay reliably gathered that DCP Disu has been directed to reorganize, restructure and refocus the intelligence team in line with the 12 point agenda of IGP, Usman Alkali which includes Zero-tolerance for corruption.
According to a senior Police officer who spoke under the condition of anonymity, “the implication of the appointment of DCP Disu from outside the team as the new commander of the IGP-IRT is that he would be required to review the structure, personnel, composition and operations of the Intelligence Team and make appropriate recommendations to the IGP.
“Some of the members of that team may be redeployed to other departments and fresh hands would be brought in to strengthen the activities of the team. Be rest assured that anybody found culpable in the ongoing investigation would be made to face the music because the new IGP does not tolerate any act of indiscipline. That explains the speed with which he acted in this particular case” the source stated
In a statement he issued on Monday evening, Force Public Relations Office, (PRO), Frank Mba said the IGP charged the new Head of the IRT, Disu, to demonstrate professional competence in his leadership of the Unit and assured citizens that the IRT would remain focused in the discharge of its duties in line with national statutes and international best practices.
Read also: Between Hushpuppi and Abba Kyari
“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, FDC has today, 2nd August 2021 approved the posting of DCP Tunji Disu as the new head of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT). The posting of the officer is on the heels of Management’s decision to fill the leadership gap within the IRT and refocus the Unit for better service delivery,” the statement read.
Prior to his appointment as the new Head of the IRT, DCP Tunji Disu, a former Commander of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Lagos State, was the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja. He had also previously served at the State CID, Rivers State as the Deputy Head of the Unit. He was also a former Commander of the Nigeria Police Contingent to the African Union (AU) Peace Keeping Mission in Darfur, Sudan.
DCP Disu holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the Lagos State University (LASU) and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State.
He has also attended several professional courses both at home and abroad: Small Arms Smuggling Training in Botswana, Internet Fraud Training at the Cambridge University, UK, Strategic Leadership Command Course at the Police Staff College, Jos, Forensic Investigations and Criminal Intelligence Course at the University of Lagos.
The IGP-IRT is the elite intelligence arm of the Nigeria Police Force and has successfully handled several high-profile criminal cases. The Team was established in 2019 as a replacement for the disbanded Federal Anti-Robbery Squad (FARS).
DCP Abba Kyari was on Sunday suspended from office by the Police Service Commission (PSC). The suspension was based on the recommendation of Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba as a temporary measure while the police investigate Kyari’s relationship with the popular fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly called Hushpuppi.
PSC spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani said Abba Kyari was relieved of all his duties pending the outcome of the investigation in respect of his indictment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States.
The former IGP-IRT commander was allegedly indicted by a U.S. court as a conspirator in a $1.1 million fraudulent deal against a Qatari businessman. Based on the alleged illegal dealings, a U.S. court ordered his arrest and prosecution.
But in a statement Kyari posted on his verified Facebook page last week, he denied any wrongdoing in the matter. Although he admitted knowing Hushpuppi he said he never demanded money from him stressing that he only referred Hushpuppi to a tailor whom the fraudster paid N300, 000 for sowing clothes.
Police spokesperson Frank Mba had in an earlier statement he released on Sunday morning 1st August 2021 with Ref No. CZ.5300/FPRD/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.4/26 conveyed the IGP’s recommendation to the Police Service Commission. The recommendation came two days after IGP ordered an internal review of the allegations against Kyari.
According to Mba, in the letter to the chairman, PSC dated 31st July, “The IGP further noted that the suspension is also expected to create an enabling environment for the NPF Special Investigation Panel to carry out its investigations into the weighty allegations against DCP Abba Kyari without interference. The suspension is without prejudice to the constitutional presumption of innocence in favour of the officer.”
He furthered stated that a Special Investigation Panel (SIP) comprising four senior police officers, to be chaired by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID), Joseph Egbunike has been set up to investigate the allegations levelled against the DCP Kyari.
“The SIP, inter alia, is to undertake a detailed review of all the allegations against DCP Abba Kyari by the US Government as contained in relevant documents that have been availed of the NPF by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
“The SIP is also to obtain a detailed representation of DCP Abba Kyari to all the allegations levelled against him, conduct further investigations as it deems fit, and submit recommendations to guide further actions by the Force Leadership on the matter,” the statement read.
