The Inspector General of Police, abbreviated as IGP is the head of the

Nigeria Police Force The Nigeria Police Force is the principal law enforcement and the lead security agency in Nigeria. Designated by the 1999 constitution as the national police of Nigeria with exclusive jurisdiction throughout the country, as at 2016 it has a s ...

. He is the most senior officer in the police service. The pioneer IGP is

Louis Edet Chief Louis Orok Edet QPM (1914–1979) was the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force from 1964–1966. He was the first indigenous Nigerian to occupy the position. He was briefly the chairman of the Nigerian Football Association in the ...

and the current IGP is

Usman Alkali Baba Usman Alkali Baba CFR (born 1 March 1963), is the current substantive and 21st Nigerian Inspector General of Police. He was appointed by the President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari to replace Mohammed Adamu who retired from Nigeria Police Force i ...

Appointment

The appointed officer is usually a serving officer of the Nigeria Police Force and are often recommended by the Police Service Commission to the

President of Nigeria The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the head of state and head of government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Niger ...

, who will send the name to the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

for confirmation.

Past IGP

(1964 - 1966) * Kam Salem (1966 - 1974) *

Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu also known as MD Yusufu or MD Yusuf (November 10, 1931 – April 1, 2015) was a Nigerian policeman, Inspector General of the Nigerian Police Force, public servant and politician. Yusufu attended Higher Education at th ...

(1975 - 1979) *

Adamu Suleiman Adamu Suleiman (born 14 May 1929) was a Nigerian policeman and former Inspector General. He was appointed in 1979 to succeed Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu and was succeeded by Sunday Adewusi in 1981. Suleiman attended Jimeta Elementary School between ...

(1979 - 1981) * Sunday Adewusi (1981 - 1983) * Etim Inyang (1985 - 1986) *

Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta (15 April 1937 - 21 January 2021) was a former Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force. He was appointed in 1986 to succeed Etim Inyang and was succeeded by Aliyu Attah in 1990. He was later Coordinator of National ...

(1986 - 1990) *

Aliyu Attah Aliyu Atta was a Nigerian Policeman and former Inspector General of Police. He was appointed in 1990 to succeed Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta (15 April 1937 - 21 January 2021) was a former Inspector General of the Nigeria Po ...

(1990 - 1993) *

Ibrahim Coomassie Ibrahim Coomassie (18 March 1942 – 19 July 2018) was a Nigerian police officer and the 9th Inspector General of Police (Nigeria), Inspector General of Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Police serving between 1993 and 1999, under the military gover ...

(1993 - 1999) *

Musiliu Smith Alhaji Musiliu Adeola Kunbi Smith, is a former Inspector General of Police of Nigeria appointed in May 1999, who retired in March 2002 following a police strike. Early life Smith was born on April 17, 1946. He completed secondary education at Ansa ...

(1999 - 2002) *

Mustafa Adebayo Balogun Mustafa Adebayo Balogun (25 August 1947 – 4 August 2022), widely known as kumawu, was a Nigerian police officer, 11th Inspector General of Police from March 2002, but was forced to retire because of widespread charges of corruption in January ...

(2002 - 2005) * Sunday Ehindero (2005 - 2007) *

Mike Mbama Okiro Sir Mike Mbama Okiro was the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force from 2007 to 2009. Background Mike Okiro was born on 24 July 1949 in Oguta, Imo State and hails from Egbema in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers St ...

(2007 - 2009) *

Ogbonna Okechukwu Onovo Ogbonna Okechukwu Onovo (born 7 February 1953) is a former Inspector General of the Nigerian Police (IGP), serving from July 2009 to September 2010. He was appointed IGP upon the retirement of Mike Mbama Okiro. Background Ogbonna Okechukwu On ...

(2009 - 2010) *

Hafiz Ringim Hafiz Ringim was a Nigerian Policeman and former Inspector General of Police. He was appointed in 2010 to succeed Ogbonna Okechukwu Onovo and was succeeded by Mohammed Dikko Abubakar Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, CFR, NPM, mni (Rtd) is a Nigerian ...

(2010 - 2012) *

Mohammed Dikko Abubakar Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, CFR, NPM, mni (Rtd) is a Nigerian Policeman and former Inspector General of Police. He was appointed in 2012 to succeed Hafiz Ringim and was succeeded by Suleiman Abba in 2014. He is currently the Pro Chancellor and Ch ...

(2012 - 2014) * Suleiman Abba (2014 - 2015) *

Solomon Arase Solomon Ehigiator Arase (born 21 June 1956) is a retired Nigerian police officer. He is currently the Chairman of the Nigeria Police Service Commission. He was appointed Chairman in January 2023 by President Muhammadu Buhari. Arase also served ...

(2015-2016) *

Ibrahim Kpotun Idris Ibrahim Idris Kpotun (born 15 January 1959) is a Nigerian police officer and former Inspector General of Police. He was appointed to this position by President Muhammadu Buhari on 21 March 2016, serving till his retirement in January 2019. He rep ...

(2016-2019) * Mohammed Adamu (2019-2021) *

(2021-)

References

{{Reflist Law enforcement in Nigeria