Background

Sunday Ehindero originated from Oyin-Akoko (Ondo State

Ondo State

Ondo State, Nigeria was created on 3 February 1976 from the former Western State. It originally included what is now Ekiti State, which was split off in 1996. Akure is the state capital.-Government and society:...

). He attended Gboluji Grammer school in Ondo State, obtained a Bachelors of Science degree from University of Ibadan and a Law Degree from the Nigerian Law School. He started his career as teacher in Abeokuta, Ogun State and transitioned into the police force in the early 70s. He was born in Jos, Plateux State and is one of 14 living children. He is fluent in Yoruba, Hausa and English. He is the author of many books and currently works as a lawyer in his law firm.

In April 2004, as Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Administration), Sunday Ehindero was involved in an investigation of a case where human bodies and skulls were found at the Okija shrine in Anambra State

Anambra State

Anambra is a state in south-eastern Nigeria. Its name is an anglicized version of the original 'Oma Mbala', the native name of the Anambra River. The Capital and the Seat of Government is Awka. Onitsha and Nnewi are the biggest commercial and industrial cities, respectively. The state's theme is...

.

Inspector General of Police

In January 2005, Inspector General Tafa Balogun was forced to resign after it was revealed that he was under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud and money laundering...

 (EFCC). He was replaced by Sunday Ehindero.
In February 2006 Sunday Ehindero said the Force would send a bill to the National Assembly to amend police Act to remove gender bias. He also expressed pleasure that the Supreme Court judgment had declared that police lawyers could prosecute criminal cases in any court in Nigeria.
In May 2006, after a pipeline explosion at Inagbe beach on the outskirts of Lagos

Lagos

Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...

, Ehindero called for Communities and officials to play a greater role in securing the pipelines.

In August 2006 Sunday Ehindero spoke at a meeting attended by officials of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud and money laundering...

 (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission

Independent Corrupt Practices Commission

The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission , is a Nigerian agency that was inaugurated on the 29th of September 2000 following the recommendation of President Olusegun Obasanjo...

 (ICPC). He said the police were concerned with control of corruption in the society and within the police itself. He said his administration has started addressing the second issue through improved pay to policemen. On the first issue, he said he was taking steps to educate the National Union of Road Transport Workers to resist N20 illegal extortion. He also voiced support of community partnership in policing.
In September 2006 IGP Sunday Ehindero was subject to over three hours of searching questions by the Senate. He noted that police roadblocks were not by his orders. He said the duplication of anti-corruption commissions like the EFCC and the ICPC were not needed as the police could handle the jobs.

In December 2006, Sunday Ehindero said the police had bought 30 armoured vehicles to combat crime in Lagos, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states.
In March 2007, Ehindero said he was confident that the police could cope with any problems that might arise in the forthcoming national gubernatorial and presidential elections. Earlier he had noted that 80,000 weapons and 32 million rounds of ammunition had been procured for the police.
Also in 2007, he announced that more than 10,000 officers would be sacked in an attempt to root out dirty cops. He said that the previous IGP Mustafa Balogun, later convicted on corruption charges, had employed thousands of officers with criminal records.

On April 9, 2007, three weeks before newly elected President Umaru Yar'Adua was sworn-in, Ehindero recommended promotion of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Nuhu Ribadu

Nuhu Ribadu

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu is a former Nigerian government anti-corruption official. He was the pioneer Executive Chairman of Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , the government commission tasked with countering corruption and fraud...

 from commissioner of police to assistant inspector general.
In August 2008 questions on the subsequent demotion of Ribadu were challenged on the basis that the original promotion was "illegal, unconstitutional, null and void, and of no legal effect."

Post-retirement

After his retirement in 2007, Sunday Ehindero faced a probe over a N21 million Naira fraud, N2.5 billion of police cooperative money, N300 million police funds and the source of money for allegedly building about eight magnificent houses. His passport was seized. When interrogated by the acting Inspector General of Police, Mr Mike Okiro, the Commissioner of Police in charge of Budget Mr John Obaniyi said that money found being smuggled out of police headquarter was being taken to Ehindero.

In April 2008 the ICPC interrogated Ehindero on how money meant to buy arms and ammunition for the police allegedly ended up in his private accounts. He stated that the money was provided by Goodluck Jonathan

Goodluck Jonathan

Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, BNER, GCON is the 14th Head of State and current President of Nigeria.He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the...

, then state governor of Bayelsa State

Bayelsa State

Bayelsa State is a state in southern Nigeria in the core Niger Delta region, between Delta State and Rivers State. Its capital is Yenagoa. The language spoken here is Ijaw language and dialects of the Ijaw language such as Nembe, Atissa, Akassa, Ogbia, etc. However, like the rest of Nigeria,...

and later vice president, at his request. It was placed in police accounts and he did not see any of it.