Mustafa Adebayo Balogun
Encyclopedia
Mustafa Adebayo Balogun, widely known as Tafa Balogun, 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.
. He attended the University of Lagos
, graduating in 1972 with a B.A. in Political Science. He joined the Nigerian 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 March 6, 2002.
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.
.
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.
In December 2003, Tafa Balogun organized extensive security measures across Nigeria to ensure that there were no disturbances during the Commonwealth of Nations
summit.
Following various incidents in 2004 where reporters were beaten and their equipment damaged by policement, Tafa Balogun made apologies and promised that those responsible would be punished.
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.
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.
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.
He was released on February 9, 2006 after serving his sentence, part of it in Abuja National Hospital.
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.
It was said that some of the houses had been secretly sold to certain individuals at give-away prices.
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.
Background
Tafa Balogun was born on August 8, 1947 at Ila Orogun, now in Osun StateOsun State
Ọṣun State is an inland state in south-western Nigeria. Its capital is Osogbo. It is bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east partly by Ekiti State and partly by Ondo State, in the south by Ogun State and in the west by Oyo State. The state's current governor is Rauf Aregbesola, who was...
. He attended the University of Lagos
University of Lagos
The University of Lagos - popularly known as Unilag - is a federal government university with a main campus located at Akoka, Yaba and a college of medicine located at Idi-Araba, all in Lagos, Lagos State, southern Nigeria...
, graduating in 1972 with a B.A. in Political Science. He joined the Nigerian Police Force in May 1973. While a police officer, he gained a law degree from the University of Ibadan
University of Ibadan
The University of Ibadan is the oldest Nigerian university, and is located five miles from the centre of the major city of Ibadan in Western Nigeria...
. 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
Edo State
Edo State is an inland state in central southern Nigeria. Its capital is Benin City. It is bounded in the north and east by Kogi State, in the south by Delta State and in the west by Ondo State.-History:...
, and then Commissioner of Police first in Delta State
Delta State
Delta State may refer to:*Delta State, a state in southern Nigeria.*Delta State , a Canadian animated television series.*Delta State University, a public university located in the U.S. state of Mississippi....
and then in Rivers State
Rivers State
Rivers State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria. Its capital is Port Harcourt. It is bounded on the South by the Atlantic Ocean, to the North by Imo, Abia and Anambra States, to the East by Akwa Ibom State and to the West by Bayelsa and Delta states...
and Abia State
Abia State
Abia State is a state in southeastern Nigeria. The capital is Umuahia, although the major commercial city is Aba, formerly a British colonial government outpost. The state was created in 1991 from part of Imo State and its citizens are predominantly Igbo people...
. 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 March 6, 2002.
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.
Inspector General of Police
Mustafa Adebayo Balogun became IGP in March 2002, replacing Musiliu SmithMusiliu Smith
Alhaji Musiliu Adeola Kunbi Smith, was an Inspector General of Police of Nigeria appointed in May 1999, who retired in March 2002 following a police strike.-Background:Alhaji Musiliu Smith was born on April 17, 1946...
.
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.
In December 2003, Tafa Balogun organized extensive security measures across Nigeria to ensure that there were no disturbances during the Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
summit.
Following various incidents in 2004 where reporters were beaten and their equipment damaged by policement, Tafa Balogun made apologies and promised that those responsible would be punished.
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.
Later career
On April 4, 2005, Tafa Balogun was arraigned at the Federal High Court, AbujaAbuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
on charges involving about N13 billion obtained through money laundering, theft and other sources.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud and money laundering...
under Nuhu Ribadu
Nuhu Ribadu
Mallam Nuhu Ribadu is a former Nigerian government anti-corruption official. He was the pioneer Executive Chairman of Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , the government commission tasked with countering corruption and fraud...
brought 70 charges against Tafa Balogun covering the period from 2002 to 2004.
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.
He was released on February 9, 2006 after serving his sentence, part of it in Abuja National Hospital.
In November 2008 and again in February 2009, the Chairman of the House Committee on Police Affairs, Abdul Ahmed Ningi
Abdul Ahmed Ningi
Abdul Ahmed Ningi is a member of the Nigerian House of Representative who represents the People's Democratic Party in the Ningi/ Warji Constituency of Bauchi State...
, 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.
It was said that some of the houses had been secretly sold to certain individuals at give-away prices.
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.