Public reactions have continued to trail the emergence of a new Inspector-General of Police in Nigeria, with many citizens seeking clarity on the professional histories of senior officers within the force.
Legal practitioner Liborous Oshoma said he felt compelled to address the growing inquiries by outlining the service records of senior police officers—particularly Tunji Disu and Frank Mba—both widely regarded as experienced and innovative figures in the Nigeria Police Force.
According to available records, Disu enlisted in the police on May 18, 1992, and has served in several operational roles. He previously led the Nigerian Police contingent on the African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur, Sudan, before returning to Nigeria in 2006. He later headed Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and anti-kidnapping units in Rivers State and also commanded SARS formations in Ondo, Oyo and Rivers states.
Disu subsequently served as second-in-command at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Rivers State before his appointment as commander of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad from June 2015 to August 2021—a period often cited for tactical policing reforms. He was later promoted Deputy Commissioner of Police at the Department of Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja, and appointed head of the Intelligence Response Team in August 2021. He attained the rank of Commissioner of Police in March 2023.
Mba, on the other hand, joined the Nigeria Police Academy, Kano, in 1994 and graduated in 1995 as the best cadet inspector. He later served as Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos State, assuming the role in December 2007. From February 2012 to August 2014, he served as Force Public Relations Officer before being promoted and assigned as an Area Commander.
In March 2025, Mba was appointed and decorated as a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, heading the Department of Logistics and Supply, where he oversees procurement, housing, technical services and other administrative components of the force.
Observers note that promotions beyond the rank of Commissioner of Police often involve strong institutional and political considerations. Despite this, both Disu and Mba are widely described as professional officers whose contemporaries in the force still hold the ranks of Commissioner of Police or Assistant Inspector-General.
Oshoma urged the newly appointed police chief to introduce fresh strategies capable of transforming policing nationwide, expressing hope that the leadership would replicate operational successes recorded during Disu’s tenure with the Lagos Rapid Response Squad.
He added that his intervention was intended to provide factual background information and encourage objective public understanding of developments within the police hierarchy.