Mustafa Adebayo Balogun

Mustafa Adebayo Balogun (born 25 August 1947 in Ila Orangun, now in Osun State), widely known as kumawu, was appointed Inspector General of the Nigerian Police in March 2002 and was forced to retire because of widespread charges of corruption in January 2005.

Mustafa Adebayo Balogun
11th Inspector General of Police
In office March 2002 – January 2005
Preceded by	Musiliu Smith
Succeeded by	Sunday Ehindero
Personal details
Born	25 August 1947 Ila Orangun, Osun State
Nationality	Nigerian
Occupation	Nigerian Police Investigation Officer

Background

He attended the University of Lagos, graduating in 1972 with a B.A. in Political Science. He joined the Nigeria Police Force in May 1973. While a police officer, he gained a law degree from the University of Ibadan. After working in various positions around the country, he became Principal Staff Officer to former Inspector-General of Police, Muhammadu Gambo, then Deputy Commissioner of Police in Edo State, and then Commissioner of Police first in Delta State and then in Rivers State and Abia State. He was appointed Assistant Inspector General of Police in A.I.G Zone One Kano, the position he held when promoted to Inspector General of Police on 6 March 2002.[1][2]

In November 2001, as A.I.G., Tafa Balogun reassured reporters that there were provisions to ensure the safety of businessmen in Nigeria through the called Diplomatic Corp and Foreign National Protection Unit.[3]

Inspector General of Police

Mustafa Adebayo Balogun became IGP in March 2002, replacing Musiliu Smith.[4] He was responsible for overall police security during the April 2003 national elections, which were marred by reports of police abuses.[5] In August 2003, Tafa Balogun presented a paper on "Nigeria: Electoral Violence and National Security" in which he advocated improvements such as use of national identity cards, mass education, electoral law reforms, citizens participation in politics, good governance and establishment of a constitutional court.[6]

In December 2003, Tafa Balogun organised extensive security measures across Nigeria to ensure that there were no disturbances during the Commonwealth of Nations summit.[7] Following various incidents in 2004 where reporters were beaten and their equipment damaged by police men, Tafa Balogun made apologies and promised that those responsible would be punished.[8]

Towards the end of 2004, newspapers published allegations of corruption on a massive scale, asserting that Tafa Balogun had pocketed public money and taken bribes from politicians and criminals. These led to his forced retirement in January 2005.[2]

Later career

On 4 April 2005, Tafa Balogun was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Abuja on charges involving about N13 billion obtained through money laundering, theft and other sources.[9] The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission under Nuhu Ribadu brought 70 charges against Tafa Balogun covering the period from 2002 to 2004.[10] He made a plea bargain with the court in exchange for returning much of the property and money.[11] He was sentenced to six months in jail.[12] He was released on 9 February 2006 after serving his sentence, part of it in Abuja National Hospital.[13]

In November 2008 and again in February 2009, the Chairman of the House Committee on Police Affairs, Abdul Ahmed Ningi, asked the Inspector General of Police Mike Okiro, to provide details of the money recovered from Tafa Balogun, a request that he passed on to the EFCC chairman, Mrs Farida Waziri. However, the EFCC stated that they did not have records of the exact properties recovered from Balogun.[11] It was said that some of the houses had been secretly sold to certain individuals at give-away prices.[14] In April 2009, the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affair invited Tafa Balogun, Mike Okiro and Mrs Farida Waziri to explain how the N16 billion allegedly recovered from Balogun got missing.[15]

References

1. "The Rise And Fall of Tafa Balogun". Segun Toyin Dawodu. 26 November 2005. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
2. "TAFA BALOGUN A DIFFERENT SUPER 'SPECIAL' COP". Nigeria World. 9 February 2005. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
3. "Nigerian police bid to reassure investors". BBC News. 14 November 2001. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
4. Mobolaji E. Aluko, PhD (31 January 2005). "IGP Sunday Ehindero and My 7-Task Challenge". DAWODU. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
5. "Patterns of election violence". Human Rights Watch. June 2004. Retrieved 29 September 2009.
6. Tafa Balogun (6 August 2003). "Nigeria: Electoral Violence and National Security". ACE Electoral Knowledge Network. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
7. "Nigeria on high alert over summit". BBC News. 4 December 2003. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
8. "Reporters Without Borders Annual Report 2004 – Nigeria". UNHCR. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
9. "Tafa Balogun in cuffs, faces 70 fraud charges". Guardian. 4 April 2005. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
10. Ekundayo, Kayode; Lagos (31 December 2017). "Where is Tafa Balogun?". Daily Trust. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
11. "Uncertainty over Tafa Balogun's loot". The News Planetario. 24 May 2009. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
12. "CORRUPTION: DPS ALAMIEYESEIGHA AND TAFA BALOGUN SAGA". Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM). November–December 2005. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
13. "So Tafa Balogun is a free man?". OnlineNigeria. 16 February 2006. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
14. "EFCC, Police in dilemma over Tafa Balogun's loot Our hands are clean – EFCC Spokesman". National daily. 22 May 2009. Archived from the original on 4 October 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
15. {{cite web Despite the Nigerian government seizing his money. Tafa still has a property in Dubai and other areas in affluent places in Lagos. |url=http://www.speakersoffice.gov.ng/news_apr_24_09_1.htm |title=Tafa, Okiro, Waziri to Face House C'ttee |date=24 April 2009 |publisher=Office of the Speaker, House of Representatives |accessdate=27 September 2009}}