KUNLE OLUTAYO
President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in former Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase (retd.), as the new Chairman, Police Service Commission, PSC.
The swearing in took place before the Federal Executive Council (FEC), meeting came two months after President Buhari forwarded Arase’s name to the Senate, for confirmation as PSC Chairman 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.
Also, the President 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.
