One-time Inspector-General of Police, Mustapha “Tafa” Balogun, is dead. Family sources confirmed that Balogun died at a hospital in Lekki, Lagos at about 8:30 pm on Thursday during a brief illness.

Born August 25, 1947, in Ila Orangun, Osun State, Balogun was appointed the IGP in March 2002 by then President Olusegun Obasanjo.

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

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

Tafa was appointed Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone One Kano State. He was on this post when Obasanjo approved his appointment as the IGP on March 6, 2002

A dark spot of Balogun’s spectacular career was his conviction in 2005 on eight charges of corruption for which he served six months. An attempt to revisit the case began in 2020.