Musiliu Smith, a former inspector-general of police, and Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, a former justice of the Supreme Court, have been named by President Muhammadu Buhari into the Police Service Commission (PSC) as members.

Smith will serve as chairman. If he gets the nod of the Senate, he will replace Sir Mike Okiro, also a former inspector-general of police.

Smith, an alumnus of the University of Lagos, was the IGP between 1999 and 2012.

On Thursday, Senate President Bukola Saraki read Buhari’s letter seeking the confirmation of Smith’s appointment and those of three others.

They are a former justice of the Supreme Court, Clara Bata Ogunbiyi (full-time commissioner), north-east; Lawal Bawa (full-time commissioner), north-west; Mohammed Najatu (member) north-west.

The president based his request on sections 153 (1) and 154(1) of the constitution as amended.

“In compliance with the provisions of section 153 (1) and 154(1) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, I write to forward for confirmation by the Senate the underlisted names as the chairman and members of Police Service Commission (PSC). I attach here, with their CVs,” the president’s letter read.

“In anticipation of the early consideration and confirmation of the above appointments by the distinguished senators, please accept, Mr Senate president, the assurance of my highest consideration.”

Smith became Police IG in the first term of President Olusegun Obasanjo. He was swept out of office by the first strike by policemen.

He was born in Lagos on 17 April 1946. He completed secondary education at Ansarudeen College,Isolo,Lagosand went to theUniversity of Lagoswhere he obtained a B.Sc in Sociology in 1970.

Smith joined the police force in 1972 inEnuguas an Assistant Police Superintendent.

He later served as an Instructor in the Police CollegeIkeja, and a Divisional Police Officer inMubi,Adamawa State.

From 1980 to 1982, he was in charge of the X-Squad at CID Alagbon Close,Ikoyi. He was moved toIlorinwhere he served in various capacities, finally becomingKwara StatePolice Command Administrative Officer.

He was posted toRivers Statein 1987, taking charge of the Police College. In 1988, he was promoted Commissioner of Police and moved to Lagos where he took over control of the Criminal Intelligence Divisional Force. He returned to Kwara State and laterPlateau Stateas Commissioner of Police.

In 1996, Musiliu Smith was promoted to Assistant Inspector General of Police, placed in charge of Zonal Headquarters,Kano.

He completed a master’s degree programme in Strategic Studies at the University of Ibadan in 1997. He was appointed a member of the Provisional Ruling Council in 1998.

Former Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, a member of the commission, was born on February 27, 1948, at Lassa, a town inBorno State, NortheasternNigeria.She obtained a bachelor’s degree in Law from Ahmadu Bello University in June 1975 and was called to the Nigerian bar in 1976.

She read criminology at the master’s degree level at theUniversity of Hull in1983 and later got a Post Graduate Diploma certificate in Education from theUniversity of Maiduguri.

Clara began her law career in Maiduguri in 1971, after obtaining a certificate in law from ABU, before she went for the full LLB.

She rose from Assistant Registrar at the High Court of Justice Maiduguri to State Counsel in 1977. In 1984, she became the Director of Civil Litigation, a position she held until she was appointed as Judge of the High Court of Borno State.

On October 2002, she was appointed to the bench of theNigerian courts of appealas Justice and in 2012, she was appointed as a justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. She retired in February 2018, after attaining the age of 70. (NAN)