The former police chief passed away at the age of 74.
Mustapha (Tafa) Balogun, a former Inspector General of Police, has died.
Multiple reports confirmed that the former police chief died in the evening of Thursday, August 4, 2022, at a hospital in the Lagos neighborhood of Lekki.
According to family members, the deceased died after a brief illness.
Balogun died just days before his 75th birthday, at the age of 74.
Tafa Balogun, born on August 8, 1974 in Ila-Orangun, Osun State, became Nigeria's 21st Inspector-General of Police in March 2002.
He was a cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Course 3 member.
After serving in various commands across the country, Tafa rose through the ranks to become the Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to former Inspector-General of Police, Muhammadu Gambo, Deputy Commissioner of Police Edo State, and Delta State's first Commissioner of Police.
He has also served as the commissioner of police in the states of Rivers and Abia.
He was appointed Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone One Kano State, a position he held until March 6, 2002, when he was promoted to IGP.
Balogun's tenure as IGP was marred by a corruption allegation that drew international attention in 2005.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged him on April 4, 2005, at the Federal High Court in Abuja with stealing and laundering over $100 million from the Police treasury during his tenure as Inspector General of Police.
The anti-graft agency led by Nuhu Ribadu filed 70 charges against Balogun between 2002 and 2004, when he was the Inspector General of Police.
He struck a plea deal with the court in exchange for returning much of the property and money, but he was sentenced to six months in prison after being convicted of eight of the charges.