The Police Council yesterday confirmed Mr Solomon Arase as the new Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
His confirmation came exactly three weeks when he was appointed Acting IGP on April 21 after President Goodluck Jonathan sacked former IGP Suleiman Abba.
Arase, who is the 18th IGP, is one of the fastest police bosses to be confirmed.
This is even as President Jonathan explained that Abba was sacked because the rank and file under him were very indisciplined.
Arase told State House correspondents, “I have just been confirmed.”
The IGP said: “We talked about the security challenges we are having and our strategic responses to addressing them. I can assure Nigerians that we are going to address these issues”.
On what he was bringing on board since his confirmation was coming at a time Nigeria is said to be experiencing the worst security situation in recent times, he said, “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 perceived it.
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”.
On the banning of roadblocks, 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 former IGP, Sir Mike Okiro, said the council discussed issues bordering on security and how to ensure that Nigerians live in peace.
On why 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, 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, very briefly 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 IGP should come and try his luck. That is what he said, though I cannot give details of that.” Okiro noted.
