A former Inspector-General of Police, Mustapha Balogun, died at Reddington Hospital in Lagos Island at about 8:30 pm on Thursday during a brief illness, according to family sources.
Born August 25, 1947, in Ila Orangun, Osun State, he was appointed the IGP in March 2002. He died at the age of 74.
Balogun was the Inspector General of Police during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Prior to his appointment as the IGP, Balogun was Commissioner of Police in Delta, Rivers and Abia States, respectively.
He was also an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), in charge of Zone 1, Kano.
He was accused of corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) while Nuhu Ribadu, then an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) was chairman of the Commission.
The gestapo manner of his arrest and his being beaten up at a Wuse, Abuja High Court premises drew comments from the public as he was handcuffed and embarrassed by the EFCC operatives even though a sitting IGP.
Shortly after his removal from office, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC under Nuhu Ribadu arraigned him on 70 count charges involving about N13 billion allegedly obtained through money laundering, theft and other sources.
As the case progressed in and out of court, he asked for plea bargain in exchange to return some money and property, nevertheless, he got six months sentence, the greatest part of which was spent on a sick bed at a private hospital called Limi Hospital in Abuja.
He was appointed Inspector General of Police in March 2002 and was forced to retire in January 2005.
Balogun attended the University of Lagos, graduating in 1972 with a B.A. in Political Science.
He joined the Nigeria Police Force in May 1973.