Former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has said his removal from office by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu came at the right time and aligned with what he described as God’s divine plan.
Egbetokun made the remark on Saturday during a retirement thanksgiving service held in his honour at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters Chapel in Abuja. The occasion also featured the inauguration of the Police Chaplaincy building and was attended by senior police officers, clergy and other worshippers.
Speaking during the service, the immediate past police chief said he never anticipated his appointment as Inspector-General when it came in 2023, revealing that his first act upon assuming office was to pray.
“I was not expecting the appointment when it came. The first thing I did when I entered the office alone was to pray,” he said.
Egbetokun disclosed that when he took over the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force, he offered three personal prayers to God — for wisdom to lead the institution effectively, for the grace to complete his tenure well, and not to remain in office beyond the time divinely allotted to him.
“My first prayer was for wisdom to run the office, the second for grace to end well, and the third not to stay a day longer than God permits,” he said.
“I believe God has answered those prayers.”
Reflecting on his journey in the Nigeria Police Force, Egbetokun said faith played a defining role in his rise from his early years after graduating from the police academy to eventually becoming the nation’s top cop.
He also recounted a dream he had before joining the force, in which he saw himself as a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, travelling in a police vehicle bearing the registration number “NPF02” — an experience he said later taught him that life can unfold in unexpected ways.
Egbetokun recently stepped down as Inspector-General following a directive from President Tinubu. He said throughout his career, he remained mindful that every action he took would influence public perception of the police, a reality that guided his conduct in office.
“I knew whatever I did would affect the image of the force, so I made it my duty to remain professional and uphold integrity, transparency and fairness,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Force Chaplain, Joshua Omoyele, praised Egbetokun for completing the Police Chaplaincy building project during his tenure, describing it as a lasting legacy of his leadership.
Omoyele said the former police boss had long demonstrated strong commitment to Christian service even before his appointment as Inspector-General and maintained that devotion throughout his time in office.
He further highlighted Egbetokun’s record in previous assignments, including his tenure as Commissioner of Police in Kwara State and Assistant Inspector-General in Zone 7, while also crediting him with initiating the police force’s annual Christmas carol programme and expanding it across the country.
The thanksgiving service served as both a reflection on Egbetokun’s years in service and a symbolic close to his tenure, with the former police chief insisting that his exit from office came neither too early nor too late, but exactly when it was meant to.
