The former IGP was born on August 8, 1947 at Ila-Orangun in Osun State
By Emma Ogbuehi
Former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mustapha Balogun, is dead. According to family sources Balogun, died on Thursday night. He was 75 years old.
He was born on August 8, 1947 at Ila-Orangun in Osun State, Tafa Balogun, was the 21st Inspector-General of Police. He succeeded Musliu Smith. He was a member of cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Course 3.
Having worked in various Police commands throughout the federation, and earning his promotions as at when due, Tafa, was at a time, the Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to former Inspector-General of Police, Muhammadu Gambo, Deputy Commission of Police Edo State, the pioneer Commissioner of Police in Delta State. He was also CP in Rivers and Abia states.
READ ALSO:
IGP orders probe of Portable after boasting he started the criminal gang, One million boys
Tafa, a fellow of the premier highest military institution in Nigeria, the National War College, later became the Assistant Inspector General of Police A.I.G Zone One, Kano, from where he was named the 21st IGP of Police on March 6, 2002.
He attended the University of Lagos, graduating in 1972 with a B.A. in Political Science. In May, 1973, he joined the Nigeria Police Force. While a police officer, he gained a law degree from the University of Ibadan.
Balogun became IGP in March 2002, replacing Musiliu Smith. He was responsible for overall police security during the April 2003 national elections, which were marred by reports of police abuses. 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.
Towards the end of 2004, there were allegations of corruption on a massive scale, against Balogun in which he was accused of pocketing public money and taking bribes from politicians and criminals. These led to his forced retirement in January 2005.
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. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission under Nuhu Ribadu brought 70 charges against Tafa Balogun covering the period from 2002 to 2004.
Faced with overwhelming evidence, 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 and was released on 9 February 2006 after serving his sentence, part of it in Abuja National Hospital.