Former Inspector General of Police Tafa Balogun dies at 74

Nigeria’s former Inspector General of Police, IGP Mustapha Balogun, more popularly known as Tafa Balogun, is dead.

Balogun, appointed IGP in March 2002, died at a hospital in Lekki, Lagos, at about 8:30 pm on Thursday, after a “brief illness”, according to family sources.

Born August 25, 1947, in Ila Orangun, Osun State, the former IGP died at 74, a few days to his 75th birthday.

He was a member of Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police Course 3. He worked in various Police commands across the Federation. He was also a Principal Staff Officer to a former IGP, Muhammadu Gambo; Deputy Commission of Police, Edo State, the pioneer Commissioner of Police in Delta State.

He also served as a Commissioner of Police in Rivers and Abia states.

Balogun was appointed Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone One Kano State, the position he was holding when promoted to the IGP on March 6, 2002.

His infamous trial drew global attention in 2005. On April 4, 2005, Tafa Balogun was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Abuja for stealing and laundering of over $100 million in his three years as Inspector General of Police from the Police treasury.

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under Nuhu Ribadu brought 70 charges against him, covering the period from 2002 to 2004, when he was the Inspector General of Police. He made a plea bargain with the court in exchange for returning much of the property and money. He was sentenced to six months in jail.

Judge Binta Nyako said her sentence reflected that Balogun was a first offender and had shown remorse. He was directed by the court to pay N500,000 on each of eight-count charges totalling N4 million.

His trial was full of drama. One of such was when he collapsed on his seat on June 29, 2005, at the Abuja High Court.

The former police boss, who pleaded guilty to eight of the 56-count charges directly affecting him, was convicted and sentenced to six months in each of the charges, which however ran concurrently.

He was released on February 9, 2006 after serving his sentence, part of it at Abuja’s National Hospital.

Balogun had his corruption case reopened in 2020.