Tafa Balogun: First IGP To Be Convicted And Other Facts

Former Inspector-General General of Police (IGP), Tafa Balogun, who died in a hospital in Lagos was the first to have served in that position to be convicted of corruption. He is also reckoned as the IGP who carried out the greatest reforms in the police.

The jovial and likeable police officer was a jolly good man to many who came across him and his erudition was especially appealing to many. He, however, frayed many nerves with claims that he deployed the police to partisan use in the 2003 General Election to favour the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

It was as such a shock to many when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC arraigned him in 2005 man who was a joy to He was arraigned him 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.

IGP Tafa Balogun became the top police officer in March 2002.

Besides the fact that he is the first IGP to have been convicted for a crime, he was also the first commissioner of police in Delta State.

Here are some other facts about IGP Tafa Balogun.

1) He was born on August 8, 1947 at Ila-Orangun in Osun State.

2) He was at a time, the Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to former Inspector-General of Police, Muhammadu Gambo.

3) He was a member of cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Course 3

4) He was also a Deputy Commissioner of Police Edo State, the pioneer Commissioner of Police in Delta State. He was also CP in Rivers and Abia states.

5) He was a fellow of the premier highest military institution in Nigeria, the National War College

6) He was named the 21st Inspector-General of Police on March 6, 2002

7) On April 4, 2005, 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.

8) He collapsed on his seat on June 29, 2005, at the Abuja High Court.

9) After pleading guilty to eight of the 56 count-charges directly affecting him, he was convicted and sentenced to six months in each of the charges, which ran concurrently.

10) Tafa Balogun was released on February 9, 2006 after serving the sentence for which he was convicted.

Source: Daily Trust

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