Mr. Suleiman Abba.
• Appoints Arase as new acting Inspector General of Police
Chuks Akunna, Jaiyeola Andrews and Yemi Akinsuyi in Abuja 

Barely a month to the expiration of his tenure, President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday sacked the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Suleiman Abba.
The termination of Abba's appointment and duties, according to a tweet by the presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, is with immediate effect.
Jonathan swiftly appointed Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Mr. Solomon Arase, as acting IG.
Arase's appointment is also with immediate effect, thus making him the 18th IG.
Abba was appointed acting IG on August 1, 2014, following the retirement of his predecessor, Mr. Muhammed Abubakar. He was confirmed as the IG a few months later.
Though Abba's sins were not disclosed, it was gathered that he is being accused of insubordination as he failed to execute some directives given to him by the presidency in some states during the presidential election, fuelling speculations that he worked for the opposition party.
The sacked IG according to findings, was also said to have shown open partisanship when he made himself available at the presentation of Certificate of Return to the president-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), an act that drew the ire of the presidency.
Abba was also alleged to have leaked the presidential directive to redeploy Assistant Inspector General Tunde Ogunsakin from Rivers State prior to the April 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections.
But more worrisome perhaps, is the suspicion that Abba was already trying to warm himself up to the incoming government so that he could be retained after the May 29 handover date.
Presidency sources told THISDAY that President Jonathan was "irritated" by Abba's attempts to lobby to have Buhari retain him after May 29.
Abba, THISDAY gathered, may have succumbed to pressure to follow the footsteps of heads of several key government agencies to lobby friends and cronies of Buhari into helping them keep their offices after the May 29 handover date.
"Mr. President felt it was wrong for the Number One police officer to engage in such double-deals, so he fired him," offered one source.
Comptroller-General of Customs Abdullahi Dikko and his counterpart in the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps Ade Abolurin had reportedly made unsuccessful attempts to pay a "solidarity" visit to Buhari in Daura recently.
THISDAY further gathered that but for political considerations, Abba would not have been appointed IG after what some consider a disappointing outings by Hafiz Ringim and Abubakar.
It was gathered that President Jonathan had last year pencilled Arase for appointment as IG before succumbing to pressures from key politicians from the north, particularly the Abacha family.
THISDAY investigations revealed that Arase heard of his appointment on the television. Thereafter, his office at Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) became a beehive of activities as friends and well-wishers thronged in to congratulate him.
The six-footer police officer thereafter placed a telephone call to Abba to inform him of what he heard in the news, and thanked him for supporting the Police Force.
It was an announcement that triggered wild revelry at the police headquarters as men and officers of the force were openly jubilating.
The jubilants, who were mostly police officers and men, said this appointment was long overdue and that it was the best so far.
A Commissioner of Police, who preferred anonymity at the Force CID, told THISDAY that if given adequate time to work, Arase would ensure that the Nigeria Police would measure up to international standard.
"You and I know this man very well. Apart from being a workaholic, he is highly intelligent and highly incorruptible. The new IG will bring sanity to the Force," the CP said.
Also, one of the female police officers, who said she worked with Arase at the IG secretariat under former IG Tafa Balogun, said the new IG taught her hardwork, and dedication to her job with or without encouragement from any quarters.
As at the time of filing this report, the FCID gate in Abuja which is usually locked, was flung open for people to come in and celebrate.
Until his appointment as Abba’s replacement, Arase was the Head of the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department.
The new acting IG holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Law, as well as Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Political Science and Strategic Studies.
He is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence College. He was born on 21 June, 1956 in Sapele, Delta State. He attended Eweka Memorial Primary School, Benin-City and Holy Trinity Secondary School, Sabongida-Ora, both in Edo State.
He proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science.
On December 1, 1981, Arase enlisted in the Nigeria Police Force. In 1998, the Oredo, Edo State-born police officer bagged a law degree from the University of Benin.
He was called to the bar in 2001. Three years later, Arase bagged a Master's degree in Corporate Management and Finance Law from the University of Lagos.
In 2008, Arase attended Nigeria Defence College where he won the "Best Essay on Internal Security Award". A year after becoming a Fellow of the Nigeria Defence College, the police officer proceeded to the University of Ibadan and bagged a Master's degree in Strategic Studies.
He has served as the Divisional Crime Officer in the FCT Command, Unit Commander, Police Mobile Force (PMF 21), and Intelligence Officer, Criminal Intelligence Bureau (CIB).
Between 1989 and 1990, Arase served as District Commander, United Nations Transitional Assistance Group, in Namibia. Upon returning to Nigeria, he was appointed Divisional Police Officer, Benin.
Between 1992 and 1996, Arase was a staff officer in training.
Thereafter, he served as a detective, bank corporate fraud. Between 2002 and 2008, Arase served as Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to three Inspector Generals of Police. In 2009, Arase was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), State CID, Lagos. In March 2011, he was appointed Commissioner of Police at the Force Headquarters. He also served as CP in charge of Akwa Ibom State.
In March 2012, Arase was appointed Assistant Commissioner of Police, Force Intelligence Bureau, a position he held until August 2014 when he was promoted DIG, Force Headquarters.
Arase has published several books and essays on policing. He has undertaken several investigations, including that of the murder of the late Chief Bola Ige, Failed Bank Inquiry, and helped establish the Nigeria Police Intelligence School, Enugu, and Force Intelligence Institute, Kwara State.
Arase is polyglot and has attended several international workshops and is a recipient of several awards including the National Police Medal.
He is the National Legal Adviser, Alumni Association of the National Defence College, and member of Nigeria Bar Association, International Bar Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, and member, Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM).
Arase, who is married with children, loves reading, working out, investigation and music.
He was reputed to have possessed better career credentials and records than Abba and was supposed to have been appointed at the time, but some stroke of political consideration knocked him off at the time. Now, his time has come unhindered.
Culled from Thisday
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