Former Police IG Tafa Balogun Is Dead

 Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mustafa Adebayo Balogun, also known as Tafa Balogun is dead. 

According to reports, Balogun died on Thursday night at the age of 75.

Tafa Balogun was born on August 25, 1947. 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, 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 6 March 2002.

The cause of his death is unknown as of the time of filing this report.

All You Need To Know About The Trial Of Tafa Balogun

His infamous trial drew global attention in 2005. On April 4, 2005, Tafa Balogun was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Abuja for stealing and laundering over $100 million in his three years as Inspector General of Police from the Police treasury.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under Nuhu Ribadu brought 70 charges against him, covering the period from 2002 to 2004 when he was the Inspector General of Police.

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.

Judge Binta Nyako said her sentence reflected that Balogun was a first offender and had shown remorse.

He was directed by the court to pay N500,000 on each of an eight-count charge totalling N4 million.

His trial was full of drama. One of such was when he collapsed on his seat on June 29, 2005, at the Abuja High Court.

The former police boss, who pleaded guilty to eight of the 56 count charges directly affecting him, was convicted and sentenced to six months in each of the charges, which is however to run concurrently.

He was released on February 9, 2006, after serving his sentence, part of it at Abuja’s National Hospital.