Buhari Swears in ex-IGP Solomon Arase as Police Commission Chairman

President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in the new chairman of the Service Commission, former Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase (retd.).

The new PSC boss took the oath of office on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at the council chamber before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, two months after the Senate confirmed him as chairperson of the PSC.

Also present at the inauguration was the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; and Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, among other council members.

This comes two months after the senate confirmed him as chairperson of the PSC.

On January 24, 2023, Buhari had forwarded Arase’s name to the Senate, asking the upper legislative chamber to confirm him in line with sections 153 (1) and 154 (1) of the constitution as amended.

Arase, 65, who retired in 2016, was the 18th indigenous Inspector-General of Police (between April 2015 and June 2016) and has served in various capacities including as head of the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, the foremost intelligence-gathering unit of the Nigerian police.

The President also swore-in five board members of the Code of Conduct Bureau.

They include Murtala Kankia from Katsina State (North-West); Zephaniah Bulus from Nasarawa State (North Central) and Farouk Umar from Yobe State (North East), Taofeek Abdulsalam from Ondo State (South West) and Prof. Juwaria Badamasi from Kogi State (North Central).

Council members also observed a moment of silence in honour of Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya who died on Sunday, March 26, 2023.

Diya served as Chief of General Staff and Vice Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council under the Abacha regime.

Born on April 3, 1944 at Odogbolu in Ogun State, Diya joined the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna and fought during the Nigerian Civil War.

He was appointed Chief of General Staff in 1993 and Vice Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council in 1994.

As Chief of the General Staff, he was second in command and the de facto vice president of Nigeria under General Sani Abacha from 1994 to 1997.

Buhari went on to preside over this week’s Federal Executive Council meeting which began around 10:30 am.

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