By Babajide Fadoju

Olatunji Disu’s elevation to Assistant Inspector General of Police isn’t merely a career milestone—it’s a spotlight on the systemic fragility of Nigerian law enforcement. His track record underscores what’s possible when competence meets opportunity. The real question is whether the system can replicate his results without him.

Disu’s six-month stint as FCT Commissioner saw over 1,000 arrests and the dismantling of kidnapping networks. These numbers matter, but they matter more because they expose a truth: effective policing in Nigeria is possible, yet inconsistently applied. His raids targeted criminal hideouts without fanfare or excuses—a stark contrast to the inertia often tolerated elsewhere.

Before Abuja, Disu’s tenure in Rivers State disrupted entrenched syndicates. He pursued high-profile criminals and mediated volatile community-corporate conflicts—a pragmatic mix of force and negotiation. His earlier roles in Lagos’ Rapid Response Squad and the Intelligence Response Team proved his ability to deliver under pressure. But these successes raise an uncomfortable question: why are such outcomes the exception, not the norm?

Disu’s promotion creates a vacuum. His successors inherit a raised bar. In Abuja, Rivers, or Lagos, officers who follow him face a public no longer willing to accept failure as inevitable. The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has a long history of relying on individual brilliance to mask institutional decay. Disu’s career exemplifies this. His methods—intelligence-led operations, community engagement, rapid response—are not revolutionary. They’re basic policing. Yet their execution requires leadership often absent in the NPF’s ranks.

His branding of the RRS as “The Good Guys” wasn’t just a slogan—it was a calculated effort to counter public distrust. But trust isn’t built on slogans alone. It requires consistent, visible accountability. Disu’s willingness to engage communities and prioritize dispute resolution highlights the chasm between his approach and the brutality or apathy displayed elsewhere.

Now, the NPF confronts a reckoning. Disu’s legacy will mean nothing if his strategies remain tied to his personal influence. The real test is whether the system will institutionalize his operational rigor or revert to complacency. Training academies must prioritize tactical intelligence over patronage. Promotions must reward competence, not connections. Commanders must be judged on crime metrics, not political convenience.

Nigeria’s security crisis demands more than exceptional individuals. It requires a system that produces Disus routinely. If his successors fail, it won’t merely reflect their shortcomings—it will indict the NPF’s refusal to reform. Disu has proven effective policing can work here. The tragedy would be allowing his career to become another footnote in Nigeria’s long history of squandered potential.