Abuja, June 21, 2023 – The Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun assumed office on Wednesday, June 21.
He took over from the former IGP, Usman Baba, who handed over to him around noon.
He was warmly received by many senior officers who had been waiting to receive him at the the headquarters of the Nigeria Police Command in Abuja.
Vice President Kasim Shetima had on Tuesday decorated Egbetokun with the epaulet of his office as Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The ceremony, held in the Vice President’s Conference Room, was jointly performed with the spouse of the new Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mrs. Egbetokun.
After the ceremony, Egbetokun told journalists of his preparedness for duty with a promise to discharge his duties to the best of his ability.
“Now I have just been decorated and I’m looking forward to taking over tomorrow morning by 11am.
“I really can’t describe how I feel currently, but if I have to tell you anything, I will tell you that right now, I feel like a tiger inside of me, ready to chase away all the criminals in Nigeria.
“And some other times, I feel like a lion in me, ready to devour all the internal enemies of Nigeria. That’s my feeling right now.”
Former Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba, expressed confidence in his successor, saying he would carry on from where he is stopping.
“It’s a stage; you come, you work and you go. I’m happy I’m handing over to somebody I know, that will carry the mantle of leadership from where I have stopped.
“We grew up in the job, we grew up together. I was his boss at a time, not even when I was IG, he worked under me twice, we’ve been working together and I know how he can go ahead to champion the course of the police from where I have stopped,” Baba said.
The event was witnessed by senior government officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume and Imo State Governor, who is also the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Hope Uzodinma;
Others are the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila; the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu. (GBN)
