President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba.

In the terse statement issued on Tuesday by presidential spokesperson, Reuben Abati, no reason was given for the police chief’s removal.

A Deputy Inspector General of police, Solomon Arase, has been appointed take charge of the Police Forced.

Abati said Abba’s removal was with immediate effect.

The statement read: “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has relieved the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba of his appointment and duties with immediate effect. President Jonathan has also appointed Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase as Acting Inspector-General of Police, also with immediate effect.

Until his appointment as Mr. Abba’s replacement, Mr. Arase was the Head of the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department.”

It added: “Arase holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Law, as well as Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Political Science and Strategic Studies. He is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence College.”

Abba, aged 56, became acting Inspector General on August 1, 2014 after the retirement of his predecessor, Mohammed Abubakar, who served 35 years in the public service.

Until his appointment then, Abba had been the Assistant Inspector General, AIG, in charge of Zone 7, a position he occupied since May 25, 2012.

He was erstwhile aide-de-camp, ADC, to Maryam Abacha, wife of a former Head of State, Sanni Abacha.

He enlisted in the Nigerian police as cadet inspector on December 31, 1984 and is actually due for retirement on March 22, 2019.

Abba angered many Nigerians when he withdrew the security aides of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, after he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressive Congress, APC.

He was also believed to have acted a presidential script when policemen invaded the National Assembly complex to stop Tambuwal and other members of the House from gaining access.