The new Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Dr Solomon Arase (retd.), on Wednesday, in Abuja, said his administration will engender trust between the Nigeria Police Force and the general public.
He also vowed to prioritise the welfare of police officers as a means of curbing corruption in the force.
Arase disclosed this to State House Correspondents shortly after he was sworn in by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
His inauguration comes two months after the Senate confirmed him as the chairperson of the PSC.
The PUNCH reported that 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.
In his parley with journalists, Arase acknowledged that corruption was a deep-seated challenge in the Nigeria Police which could only be addressed from the root, through improved welfare.
He said, “When you tackle issues that are likely to increase their tendencies to be corrupt, you’ll deal with it.
“For instance, how are you taking care of their welfare? How are you ensuring that when they retire, they have a decent house to go to? How are you taking care of their children? Can we organise scholarship schemes for them?
“Can we ensure that when we deploy them, they have the necessary work equipment? When you respect people who work for you…even your dogs, when they see you, they will wag their tails.”
Arase also pledged improved training for policemen by ensuring “that we continue to put our local and international expertise at their disposal.”
“That is what I want to do. That members of the public will collaborate with the police force; see them as part of the larger society,” he added.
Arase said his administration would uphold discipline as “any officer who steps out of line will face consequences.”
“But at the same time, they are my colleagues and my children. So I’m going to make sure that I sharpen their skills,” he added.
“I will expect that the commission allows the IGP to exercise his operational control over the police. And that the IG himself will respect the constitutional powers of the Police Service Commission.”
The President also swore in five board members of the Code of Conduct Bureau.
They are 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).
