ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The Police Council has confirmed Mr. Solomon Arase as the Inspector General of Police.
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His appointment came exactly three weeks after he was appointed Acting IGP on April 21 when President Goodluck Jonathan sacked former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba.
Arase is the 18th indigenous Inspector-General of Police is one of the fastest IGP to be confirmed.
This is even as President Jonathan has explained that Abba was sacked because the rank and file under him were very indisciplined.
Fielding questions from State House correspondents, Arase said, “I have just been confirmed”.
Speaking on other issues discussed at the meeting, the IGP said, “We talked about the security challenges we are having and our strategic responses to addressing those challenges.
I can assure Nigerians that we are going to address these issues”.
Asked what he was bringing on board since his confirmation was coming at a time Nigeria is said to be experiencing the worst security situation after the Biafran war, he replied, “No, I don’t think that is true. I don’t think it is the worst security situation we are facing. There is no society that is actually crime-free but we are trying to ensure that it is within tolerable level. It is not as bad as the public perception.
On his charge to his officers and men as well as Nigerians; Arase said, “To my men, I will tell them that their welfare will be number one on my cardinal responsibilities. You don’t motivate a workforce except their welfare is paramount. I’m going to ensure that their welfare is going to be put on the front burner.
“To Nigerians, I know that their expectations are high but I can assure them that no Nigerian will suffer any injustice by my inaction or action”.
Asked the update on the banning of road blocks, he said, “We already have an enforcement policy in place. Sixteen teams have moved out across the length and breadth of this country to ensure there is strict compliance to that order”.
Also speaking, the chairman of Police Service Commission and for IGP, Mike Okiro, said the council discussed issues that border on security and how to ensure that Nigerians live in peace.
On why the former IGP Suleiman Abba was removed, Okiro said going by the explanation President Jonathan gave when one of the governors raised the question, the rank and file under him were very indisciplined.
Okiro said, “I may not attempt to answer that question because I’m not part of the Presidency that removed him, so I cannot give adequate answer. Though at the meeting there he tried to explain to members, based on the question raised by one of the governors that Nigerians may want to know why the former IGP was removed.
“The President, in very brief way said, during the period of the former IGP, a lot of indiscipline was noticed among the rank and file of the Police and as such he felt that a new IG should come and try his luck. That is what he said, though I cannot give details of that”.
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