The Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), IGP Solomon Arase (retd.), on Thursday, received a delegation from Human and Environmental Developmental Agenda (HEDA) Resource Centre, led by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju.
HEDA is a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) committed to promoting good governance, combating corruption, and advocating for environmental justice.
A press statement by the PSC Spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani, on Friday in Abuja, said Arase while receiving his visitors reflected on the journey so far since he assumed office in the Commission.
He said he was used to giving orders as IGP, noting that it was no more the practice as Chairman of the PSC, a civilian oversight body constitutionally empowered to appoint, promote, dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over persons in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) except the IGP.
“Now, I find myself in a situation where i have to mediate and arbitrate between two different and sometimes opposing views and where the parties insist their positions are right,” Arase said.
He noted that it has been an interesting experience for him but noted that he is committed to taking the commission to the next level.
The PSC chairman said he was committed to ensuring that there are several citizen interactions with law enforcement agencies with the ultimate goal of providing good governance.
He promised to work for a good condition of service for staff of the commission and officers and men of the NPF, noting that the failure to have an effective police service has led to proliferation of security agencies.
Arase also assured his visitors that pre-trial detention would soon be looked into and possibly phased out, as well as Police going into civil matters.
Earlier, Suraju informed the commission’s boss that they had come to intimate him on its Policy briefs published and addressed to different layers of government in Nigeria.
They include: Corruption Crackdown; a call to action for anti-corruption agencies and other law enforcement agencies; Power and Justice; leading the onslaught against corruption; Guardians of Justice; judicial power in the fight against corruption.
