Buhari Swears in Arase as PSC Chairman

Malik Yahya/

President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in retired Inspector-General of Police Solomon Ehigiator Arase as the new chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

Arase took his oath of office at 10:05 am at the council chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in the presence of Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SGF Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari and other FEC members.

The ceremony took place two months after the senate confirmed Arase as the PSC chairman.

On January 24, 2023, Buhari 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). He had 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 included Murtala Kankia from Katsina State (North-West); Zephaniah Bulus from Nasarawa State (North Central) and Farouk Umar from Yobe State (Northeast), Taofeek Abdulsalam from Ondo State (Southwest) and Prof. Juwaria Badamasi from Kogi State (North Central).

Council members also observed a moment of silence in honor 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.

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