Acting Inspector General of the (IG) Kayode Egbetokun has told how his friends and lover deserted him when he took the decision to join the police.

The IGP who made the revelation yesterday during the Thanksgiving service for his appointment as IGP at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Redemption Pavilion, Victoria Island, Lagos, said his joining the force was filled with intriguing and challenging moments, adding that he remained grateful to God.

Taking on close shaves with death in the cause of duty, he said he could have been killed by armed robbers during a shootout, but God saved him,“I could recall the day I decided to join the Police Force. My close friend said he won’t be my friend again because I’ve joined the police but God proved something. While in training in the Police Academy, I wrote letters to this my friend, he didn’t respond. Once I passed out from the Police Academy, October 12, 1991 and I returned to Lagos on October 15, the first thing I did was to go and release him from police detention and since then he became my good friend till today.

“I also had a girlfriend that I was hoping to get married to. She decided to leave me because I was joining the police. In her thinking, people who joined the force are cursed and she didn’t want to be part of a police family and she called it a quit, so I let her. But I thank God that she left because that gave me the opportunity to marry the best woman in the world.

“I also recall that in my early days as a young officer, I had several encounters with armed, dangerous criminals, in particular, I recall the incident of November 4, 1992, when I had to engage in a shootout with armed robbers.

“It was just the grace of God that I wasn’t killed that day. Several other events have taken place in the course of my career; some very challenging, some very interesting. I remember twice, I wanted to be Commissioner of Police in Lagos State and those two times I was denied. But today, I thank God,” he said.

Egbetokun also dismissed claims that he was appointed acting IG by President Bola Tinubu because of his relationship with him, noting that the president never took sensitive decisions based on sentiments.

According to him, his appointment as acting IGP was another testimony to the greatness of God, adding that he was not expecting it and didn’t get carried away by all the social media insinuations.

“For those of us who know the President and Commander-in-Chief, we know that he doesn’t make his appointment based on sentiment or personal relationships. He looks out for the best to put in sensitive positions. So, those who have insinuated that he was going to appoint me because I’ve once worked with him, I was just laughing it off because I know that he is not going to put that into consideration when he comes to a critical appointment like this.

“When I was appointed and the announcement was made, I was in the house of a friend watching television and I saw the breaking news. It can only be God. I know that this appointment is not because I am the most qualified or because I have a relationship with Mr President.

“I know that he must have thought it through before he made his choice. I thank the Almighty God and I thank him for giving me this opportunity and I pray that God will give me the wisdom to make the best use of this opportunity.

“My career in the police has been both interesting and challenging. When I joined the police in 1990, I envisaged an exciting career. By the time I was appointed Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police in March, I already felt fulfilled as a police officer but I didn’t know that God was planning something more. He was planning to use me to prove again that he is the God of faithfulness and wonders.

“Before the elections, people told me to get ready for retirement because when a particular candidate wins the election, I would be on retirement. But I thank God for today…” he insisted.

In his remarks, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, described Egbetokun as a rare breed and through policeman, praying that he would become the best IGP the country ever had.

“God has kept him always, he has made him deliberate, he has kept him foremost, he made him a brilliant and successful officer. Our IGP is not only a scientist; he’s an engineer, an officer… IGP Egbedokun is a rare breed policeman.

“A policeman with bachelor’s in Mathematics, masters in Engineering, an MBA and a PhD. He’s definitely a rare breed police officer even along with several courses in law enforcement and security and protective studies.

“The IGP is a testimony of successes and accomplishments but more importantly, a testimony to God’s abundant grace.

“We pray that the Almighty himself will grant you the grace to make the best of this rare opportunity. He will make you the best Inspector General of Police that this country has ever seen,” he said. (Daily Sun)

• Acting Inspector General of the (IG) Kayode Egbetokun

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