Kill him!, IG recounts father’s shocking reaction to son’s arrest for cultism
August 22, 2026 10:36 am
Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu. Photo: NPF
The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has recounted how a retired soldier demanded that the police kill his university-student son after he was arrested for cultism, only to return the following morning with food for him.
Disu said the incident, which occurred when he was a Divisional Police Officer in Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, illustrated the conflicting emotions of a parent and the need for families to take responsibility for the upbringing and discipline of their children.
The IGP spoke on Thursday at the National Youth Leadership and Security Dialogue organised by the Nigeria Police Force at the Police Resource Centre, Jabi, Abuja. A clip of Disu speaking has since gone viral on Saturday.
The three-day dialogue, which ran from Thursday to Saturday, was organised to mark International Youth Day 2026, with discussions centred on youth leadership, security, responsibility and the need to discourage violence and thuggery.
Recounting the incident, Disu said the retired soldier stormed his office after his son, a university student, was arrested for cultism and demanded that the police kill him.
He said the man asked where his son was and, upon being told that he was detained, responded that it was good before making the unusual demand.
“And he said, DPO, where is the boy? I said, he’s detained. He said, very good. I want you to help me to kill him.
“Kill him! That was what he said. That you must kill him. He doesn’t want him at home,” he said,
According to the IGP, the man remained in his office from morning until almost night, insisting that the police should kill his son.
He said he eventually asked the retired soldier to return home, telling him that the police would help him deal with the boy.
“And he left. The following morning, very early in the morning, he started calling me. He has brought food for his son. He brought food for his son,” Disu said.
The IGP said he deliberately delayed attending to the man until the afternoon, after the former soldier became agitated and repeatedly called to request a meeting.
He eventually allowed him into his office, where the man explained that he had brought food for his detained son.
Recounting his reaction, Disu said, “What if I’ve killed this boy since yesterday? That is a parent for you.”
The IGP had previously narrated the same incident in a March 2025 reflection titled The First Lawmakers: My Reflection on Home, Discipline, and Duty, when he was Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory.
In that account, he said the retired soldier’s anger eventually gave way to concern for his son’s welfare, describing the incident as an example of the complicated nature of parental emotions.
He said the young man later completed his education, married and became a father himself.
Fawzi is a journalist and subeditor covering a wide range of beats including politics, metro, and international news, among others. He also optimises stories for digital audiences.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]