Newsfront Online …Telling the Public as it is
By Saviour Ekpe
When the Commissioner of Police, CP Solomon Arase, fdc arrived the shores of Akwa Ibom State, precisely Tuesday, September 6, 2011 to take over the affairs of security of the State, many people, especially the ‘common men’ who are often vulnerable and victims of insecurity who had already by virtue of experiences lose interest in the ability and capacity of the police to combat crime and ensure the security of lives and property, given the porous nature of Nigeria concluded that, it will be “business as usual”.
Despite his continued promise of coming to ‘restore public confidence in the police, it sounded strange to the ear and like a gimmick or as a way of cajoling the Akwa Ibom Public but shortly when the Commissioner began to launch a reprisal attack on criminals in their hideout, signals were sent to the minds of the people that it will not be ‘business as usual.
It is on record that CP Solomon Arase on the assumption of office in order to avail himself on the dynamics of the state, he was posted to, embarked on a tour of the 36 Police Divisions across the state, which he noted, “My tour of the local government areas was to enable my command key into the traditional system if we are to reduce crime and criminality in the State”. His visit to the custodians of traditional stool, the Royal Fathers as well as helmsmen of local government administration gave him a deep insight on how to kick start his operations. Aside from this, his zeal to reach out to other service chiefs in the state for collaboration to tackle crime gives him a pat on the back.
Furthermore, CP Arase who is a fellow of Defense College (fdc) upon his assumption of office, undertook a detailed assessment of the state of security in Akwa Ibom, reviewing existing policing strategies and evolving more proactive, intelligence-based mechanisms of anti-crime that are premised on the principles of community and zero-tolerance policing in the real sense of the word. This was brought to bear when he organized a strategic workshop for men and officers of the force in conjunction with CLEEN Foundation, Lagos to abreast the participants of a more sophisticated and modern way of tracking crime void of the use of brutal force. This is in addition to his constant and personal discourse and meeting with his officers irrespective of their ranks, religion, or ethnic differences just to ensure that effective policing in Akwa Ibom State is achieved.
Today crime, criminality, kidnapping and other social vices in Akwa Ibom State have been drastically reduced to the barest minimum. That is why the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio during the stakeholders meeting in the state recently noted, “Security Services in the State must be heavily commended”. In a similar vein, the Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Council of Chiefs, His Royal Majesty, Edidem (Dr.) Ime Udousoro Inyang who also is the Paramount Ruler of Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area lent his voice to the success story of the CP Solomon Arase-led command when he commended the Commissioner on what he termed as the ‘effective way of fighting crime in the State’. It is also pertinent to underscore that even members of the fourth estate of the realm, the media in different fora poured encomiums on CP Arase great gusto in fighting crime in the state as members of this noble profession ranked CP Solomon Arase second best in the State after the former Commissioner of police in the state, Azubuike Udah who has just been retired as DIG Administration at Force Headquarters, Abuja.
CP Solomon Arase, in terms of physique – very intimidating, in the area of academics – his records are quite scary, a man surrounded with international connections; above all, he is a confident figure.
Solomon Arase, a master strategist in administration and criminal engineering, believes in information as a vital tool in modern policing and assisting police as a civic responsibility. That the effectiveness of any Police Organization rests on the strength of the synergy between the police and the public as well as the case with which vital criminal information can be transmitted between the public and the local police formation. Sadly, when CP Arase assumed duty in Akwa Ibom State as commissioner, he discovered that while members of the public were willing to provide criminal information to the police, they had no access to current telephone numbers of the police officers to whom they would have wished to pass such vital pieces of information, creating a fundamental communication gap between the police and the public.
This forced him to compile and publish a functional telephone directory designed to bridge this gap and advance his commitment to partnering with members of the public in the prevention and detection of crimes in the state. In his foreword in the telephone directory pamphlet, he expressed the hope that members of the public will avail themselves of the booklet, familiarize themselves with the relevant numbers contained therein, and in line with their civic responsibility, utilized the numbers to assist the police in the war against criminals,” assuring members of the public that their identities will be protected in case of provision of criminal information and that police will promptly respond to their calls.
No wonder, the Division Police Officer (DPO), “C” Division that hosts the State Police Headquarters at Ikot Akpan Abia, SP Ebipamowei Okoyen has to work extra miles having found himself directly working under the almighty and workaholic CP Solomon Arase. The DPO on December 1, 2011 when the commissioner paid an official visit to the Division confessed thus, “14 cases awaiting trials for various offenses, four convictions, puncturing of robbery/kidnapping gangs, the rescue of kidnapped victims, recovery of weapons and ammunition of different types as well as all round-the-clock surveillance of areas under this jurisdiction”. Although the DPO declined comment from the press on his strategies for effective support to the commissioner, he, however, described the Commissioner as a professional that knows his onions and does not sacrifice professionalism to mediocrity, committed to crime-fighting and carries his officers along by giving them free hand to operate and exhibit their talents in crime-fighting. While chatting with the police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Akwa Ibom State Command, Mr. Onyeaka Orji, he described the Commissioner as a versatile, intelligent and highly committed Police Officer who has prepared himself for the work, “apart from that, CP Solomon Arase is a disciplined and
focused officer. I personally enjoy working with him and in the process of working with him, I have learned so much. So he is the right person for the state mostly for today’s challenges”. CP Arase, a Christian to the core. It was his strong inclination and love for God that gingered him as one of the officers at the Force Headquarters, Abuja that joined forces to ensure that the then IGP, Mr. Sunday Ehindero sought approval by the then President Obasanjo in 2005 and subsequently, established what is now known as Department of Religious Affairs in the Nigeria Police Force. This department according to a book titled, “Policing Nigeria in the 21’century” is charged with the responsibility and special mission of inculcating in police personnel a keen awareness of the spiritual dimension of their responsibilities to the nation. No wonder upon assumption of duty as the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, he immediately plunged into action the building or a befitting chapel, ALL SAINTS POLICE CHAPLAINCY in the state headquarters of his command. The chapel building which is directly supervised by the CP himself to ensure it is built according to specification is at its completion stage with over 500 sitting capacity. CP Solomon Arase, himself a Lawyer, tactical operation and highly commendable achievements as a brave but cool-headed gentleman who served as Secretary to the Presidential Committee on Nigerian Police in 2006 and was a member of Nigeria Police Committee on Review of the Nigerian Constitution/Police Act; Special Investigation Team into the murder of Late Bola lge as well as the failed bank inquiry. He is an officer with a passion for research and intellectualism. He co-edited Policing Nigeria in the 21′ Century and was the Editor of Monograph on criminal investigation. CP Arase has contributed several scholarly essays to various local and international publications and has been a facilitator at the USA Harvard Remedy School programme on Criminal Justice. He was consciously served as Principal staff officer to three different Inspectors General of Police from 2002 to 2008. Professionally, CP Arase is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP); the International Bar Association (IBA) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Solomon E. Arase is a 1980 Political Science graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, who has an LLB degree from the University of Benin and LLM from Lagos State University with a specialty in Corporate Management and Finance Law, called to bar in 2000. He also holds Masters’ Degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan. Arase was enlisted in the Nigeria Police in1981 and has served in various sections at State commands and Force headquarters’ levels including Operational Intelligence, investigation and Administration. He served at the United Nationals Mission in Namibia. Given his academic standing and professional prowess, one is then not in doubt of his capacity to combat crime, criminality and other social vices in Akwa Ibom State.
