Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu has recounted an incident in which a retired soldier asked police officers to kill his university-student son after the young man was arrested for alleged cultism, only to return the following morning with food for him.

Disu said the incident occurred while he was serving as a Divisional Police Officer in Ago Iwoye, Ogun State. He described it as an example of the conflicting emotions parents can experience and the importance of families taking responsibility for their children’s upbringing and discipline.

The IGP recounted the incident on Thursday at the National Youth Leadership and Security Dialogue organised by the Nigeria Police Force at the Police Resource Centre in Jabi, Abuja. The three-day event, held from Thursday to Saturday, focused on youth leadership, security, responsibility and efforts to discourage violence and thuggery.

According to Disu, the retired soldier initially demanded that police kill his son, insisting that he did not want the young man at home. The man reportedly remained at the station for most of the day before eventually leaving.

However, the following morning, he contacted Disu and returned with food for his detained son.

Reflecting on the incident, Disu said, “What if I’ve killed this boy since yesterday? That is a parent for you.”

The IGP had previously shared the same experience in a March 2025 reflection on parenting, discipline and responsibility. He said the young man eventually completed his education, married and became a father himself.