By ABIRHIRE THOMAS
A former Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mustapha Balogun (Rtd), is dead.
He was 75.
Balogun died at a hospital in Lekki, Lagos about 8:30 pm on Thursday, after a brief illness,, The DEFENDER learnt.
Popularly called Tafa Balogun in his lifetime, the former nation’s number one police officer was born on August 8, 1947, at Ila-Orangun, Osun State.
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, Balogun earned 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 commands.
He was appointed Assistant Inspector General of Police in A.I.G Zone I Kano, the position he held when promoted to Inspector General of Police on 6 March 2002. He became IGP in March 2002, replacing Musiliu Smith.
