Retired police officer unfit as PSC chair – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says a civilian rather than a retired police officer should head the Police Service Commission.

The ex-President said this in Abuja on Thursday during the public presentation of a book, ‘Policing the Nigeria Police,’ by the first  chairperson of the PSC, Simon Okeke.

Obasanjo, who was the chairman on the occasion, said, “The police must be policed by a strong civilian, not police being policed by the police. If that is addressed, I believe we will get better police than we have today.

“This is because there are jealousies and biases within the police, and therefore when you make a retired policeman the head of the commission it is like asking a thief to catch a thief. Those jealousies and biases will come to the fore.”

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The Senate confirmed the appointment of a former IG, Solomon Arase, as the new Chairman of the PSC, following his appointment by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

Arase will take over the leadership of the commission from the acting chairman, Justice Clara Ogunbiyi, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court.

Ogunbiyi replaced Musiliu Smith, who resigned in September 2022, on the grounds of ill-health.

Meanwhile, speaking on Thursday, Obasanjo noted that the book did not only chronicle the experiences of Okeke while heading the commission but also highlighted the challenges and causes of rift between the authorities of the Nigerian Police and the PSC.

Speaking on Nigeria’s federal structure, Obasanjo said, “I believe Nigeria, by our structure of federalism, should not have one and unitary police establishment. It is contrary to the idea of federalism”.

He also rejected the description of the Police as a Force, saying, “I believe the police should be a Police Service and not a Police Force.”