Solomon Ehigiator Arase is set to deploy his wealth of experience as a retired super cop to rejig the Nigeria Police Force(NPF) and reposition it to serve the Nigerian masses with dignity and discipline following his recent appointment into the office of the Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), by President Muhammadu Buhari, writes Augustine Ojeikhoa
The legend who bore the sobriquet, “The Sun King” ruled France as a monarch from 1643 till his demise in 1715. King Louis XIV whose alias derived from his admired symbol of leadership, the Sun, would have the likes of Solomon Ehigiator Arase, CFR, in mind when, in his memoir, he described the Sun as the best image to represent a great leader to wit: ”Because of the light it shines on the other stars which make up a kind of court around it, because of the just and equal distribution of its rays to all alike, because of the good it brings to all places, producing life, joy and action, because of its constancy from which it never varies, I chose the Sun as the most magnificent image to represent a great leader”.
Dr Arase, a former Inspector General of Police (IGP), having retired from the Nigeria Police Force some years back after what many regarded as meritorious service he rendered Nigeria as NPF officer, still has his leadership light, just as with the Sun, shining within the NPF. Arase’s appointment as the Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC) just recently is an indication of his inexhaustible leadership potential which he is coming to unleash on the PSC for the reformation of the NPF generally in order to avert a looming image crisis starring the police in the face after a shambolic outing at the 2023 general election.
Arase remains a revered cop in Nigeria and beyond, whether in active service or retired. A remarkable outing of Dr Arase as the IGP during the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan presidency was the removal of the reckless, obnoxious and useless roadblocks the police mounted at various locations in the country which achieved nothing better than causing serious pains and agony to Nigerians and motorists, while swelling the pockets of unruly police personnel whose allegiance was to the politicians. The roadblocks mounted by police before the emergence of Arase as IGP had sent thousands of innocent Nigerians to their early graves through reckless bullets shot aimlessly and at slightest provocation of unpatriotic trigger happy police officials. Arase’s leadership came to the rescue.
The new Chairman of the PSC also came hard on the practice of illegal detention and money for bail charged by police stations across the country, threatening punishment against officers of the Force engaged in these unprofessional activities.
Given his reforms at the NPF under his leadership as IGP, Dr. Arase warmed his way into the hearts of many Nigerians, and became a household name which the masses claimed is the best IGP since the advent of democracy in 1999. Remarkably too, since Arase retired from the NPF, many critics of the Force have insisted that none of his successors had brought any meaningful reforms into the NPF that can be compared with those of the now PSC Chair.
Many critics of the NPF and admirers of Arase readily point out the return of police roadblocks which are orchestrating reckless killing of innocent citizens across the country. Many critics have regretted the lack of characters of Arase personality as IGP since he exited the NPF, moreso as the Force performed below expectation during the 2023 general elections at which policemen have been accused of aiding and abetting election rigging by sitting governors and other politicians. These critics now refer to Arase as a man of confident demeanor who would not condone such acts by policemen if he was in charge of the Force.
In recent times, the NPF public image has been nose-diving due to the activities of many undisciplined and unpatriotic elements in its fold. These, on daily basis, keep perpetrating different heinous crimes against the citizens they are paid to protect. Thus, Arase’s assumption of duty as the PSC Chair couldn’t have come at a more auspicious time than now, many police watchers said. According to them, judging by the clean records of Arase while in the service, as well as the numerous reforms he courageously introduced in the NPF as its IGP, his chairmanship of the police watchdog will introduce discipline in the NPF that will rebuild the lost public confidence in the paramilitary force.
Making reference to how Arase can rebrand the police as the PSC Chair, the late clergy, Myles Munroe had once stated thus, “True leaders never retire because you cannot retire from yourself. When you are known for your gift, the world will come to you for it.” In the same vein, because of the exemplary records Arase bequeathed to the NPF as he was retiring, because of his patriotism and discipline, because of his strength of character, destiny has once again brought him back to the NPF constituency to finish the job he left unfinished, this time, not as a serving officer, but as an active overseer and regulator using the PSC’s platform.
