“I feel like a lion stalking the enemies of Nigeria,” says the new IGP.

At the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday, Vice President Kashim Shettima appointed Mr. Kayode Egbetokun as the Acting Inspector-General of Police.

“I have the feeling of a lion, ready to eat all of Nigeria’s adversaries from within. After a brief ceremony in the Vice President’s Conference Room, Egbetokun informed State House Correspondents, “That’s how I feel right now.

The decoration was carried out by the VP and Mrs. Elizabeth Egbetokun, the wife of the new Police chief, just 24 hours after a significant change in the country’s security hierarchy.

President Bola Tinubu approved the immediate retirement on Monday night of the Chief of Defence Staff, all of the nation’s service leaders, Usman Alkali, the Inspector-General of Police, and Col. Hameed Ali, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Tinubu subsequently named Rear Admiral E. A Ogalla as the Chief of Naval Staff, Major General C. G. Musa as the Chief of Army Staff, Major General T. A. Lagbaja as the Chief of Army Staff, AVM H. B. Abubakar as the Chief of Air Staff, DIG Kayode Egbetokun as the Acting Inspector-General of Police, and Major General EPA Undiandeye as the Chief of Defence Intelligence.

After the event, Egbetokun spoke to reporters at the Villa and emphasized his desire to go back to work on Wednesday, saying he felt like a tiger ready to drive away all of the nation’s internal enemies.

Tinubu subsequently named Rear Admiral E. A Ogalla as the Chief of Naval Staff, Major General C. G. Musa as the Chief of Army Staff, Major General T. A. Lagbaja as the Chief of Army Staff, AVM H. B. Abubakar as the Chief of Air Staff, DIG Kayode Egbetokun as the Acting Inspector-General of Police, and Major General EPA Undiandeye as the Chief of Defence Intelligence.

After the event, Egbetokun spoke to reporters at the Villa and emphasized his desire to go back to work on Wednesday, saying he felt like a tiger ready to drive away all of the nation’s internal enemies.

Asked how he felt about the weight of his new responsibility, Egbetokun said, “Now I have just been decorated and I’m looking forward to taking over tomorrow morning by 11:00 am.

“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.”

On his part, the former Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba, described his successor as an old, experienced hand who would build on what he is leaving behind.

“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 on the job. 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 will go ahead to champion the course of the police from where I have stopped,” Baba said.

Until the 22nd substantive IGP is confirmed by the 10th Senate, Egbetokun continues to serve in an acting capacity.

The National Security Advisor, Nuhu Ribadu, the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodinma, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and the recently retired IGP, Usman Alkali, among others, all attended the ceremony.