A brief history and achievements of late, Inspector General of Police Tafa Balogun.

1. ALHAJI TAFA ADEBAYO BALOGUN , born in Ila - Orangun in Osun State . He had his early primary education in Ansar Udeen Primary School OKEOLA, Ila - Orangun from 1954-1959 , finishing as one of the pioneer products of the school . Thereafter , he moved to Anglican Grammar School , OTAN - AYEGBAJU in 1960, finishing his West African School Certificate in 1964 in bright colour.

2. After a brief period working as a teacher in the now defunct ILA - ORANGUN , Local Authority Secondary Modern School in 1965 , Tafa Balogun moved to moved to IBADAN Western Regional Capital in 1965 December , thereby serving the Western Regional of Nigeria as a Produce Inspector in the Ministry of Agriculture until September 1968.

3. He sat for and passed three papers in GCE Advanced Level which qualified him for direct of the University of Lagos in 1968. Between 1968and June 1971 , he was a student of the University and he brilliantly graduated with honors degree of Bachelor of Science ( BSc ) in Political Science in the Faculty of Social Science in June 1971.

4. After his graduation, he worked briefly as an Administrative Officer Assistant Secretary in the Administrative Class of the Western State Civil Service from 1971-1973. During the period, he successful passed the confirmation papers of 5 subjects with DISTINCTION . This brilliant output was duly appreciated by the Civil Service Commission and this won him a Letter of Commendation personally signed the then Head of Western State Civil Service. Chief PETER T. ODUMOSU.

5. Alhaji Tafa Balogun moved from the Civil Service to the Nigeria Police Force as a CADET ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT in 1973. After a one year intensive training in Advanced and superior Police Officers wings of the College , again he distinguished himself by coming FIRST in a class of many. Again this brilliance made him to win the INSPECTOR GENERAL'S SWORD OF HONOUR awarded to him for being the best all round Cadet Assistant Superintendent of his course by the then INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE , Alhaji , Kam Salem at a colourful passing out parade in May 1974 .

6. While in the POLICE FORCE , he served at various times as Divisional Police Officer ( DPO ) in several places . He was a time officer in charge in Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department ( CID ) Pant i ; and Member Lagos State Armed Robbery Tribunal -a judicial function alongside High Court Justices and Top Military Officers of Nigerian Army.

7. At a stage in his career , he was Principal Staff Officer ( PSO ) to Inspector General of Police Alhaji M.A. Gambo , thereby becoming the First Principal Staff Officer in the Nigeria Police Force . Concerned about the wave of crime in the BENDEL STATE in 1990-1991 , he was moved in as Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Command and with the Commissioners of Police , the duo accomplished the task of arresting the crime situation in the state then with their OPERATION FLUSH . LAW PROGRAMME

8. At another stage in his career between 1984 and 1989 , he went back to the UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS to read LAW , this time as EVENING STUDENT . On the completion , he bagged the honours BACHELORS DEGREE in LAW ( LLB ) top of the class in SECOND CLASS UPPER DIVISION commonly called 2-1 . His colleagues on his wonderful performance were usually calling him " C.J . " ( meaning Chief Justice ) due to his wonderful performance during the law course . Thereafter he proceeded to the NIGERIA LAW SCHOOL in LAGOS in 1990 and after a one year programme of intensive studies , he was called to the NIGERIA BAR with the award of BL - thus becoming a Barrister and Solicitor of the SUPREMECOURT OF NIGERIA .

9. With the creation of Delta State in 1991 , he become the commissioner of Police Delta State from 1991-1993 . There , he introduced OPERATION BLAST. Between 1993 and 1994 Tafa Balogun functioned as Commissioner of Police River State ( the present day Commissioner of Police River State ( the present day combination of Rivers and Bayelsa State ) .

He introduced OPERATION CRUSH . He was also Commissioner of Police Abia State from 1994-1994 with OPERATION HEAT from where he moved up as Force Secretary from 1996-1998 in Force Headquarters KAM SALAM house , LAGOS .

Former Inspector-General of Police Mustapha Balogun passed away at a hospital in Lekki, Lagos, around 8:30 p.m. on Thursday after a brief illness.

Dreaded inspector general of police. Rest in peace.