by Ola Williams-
Nigeria has lost one of its most respected law enforcement icons, as former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase passed away at the age of 69. He died at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja on Saturday.
As of the time of filing this report, neither his family nor the Nigeria Police Force has issued an official statement confirming the sad development.
A retired senior police officer who worked closely with him described Arase as “a disciplined and principled officer whose legacy of honesty and integrity will continue to inspire generations of policemen.”
Arase, who served as Nigeria’s 18th Inspector-General of Police, was appointed Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) in January 2023 by former President Muhammadu Buhari. However, he was relieved of the position in June 2024 by President Bola Tinubu.
Before rising to the pinnacle of his career, Arase headed the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, the intelligence arm of the police. “He was a brilliant strategist and a thinker who believed policing must be intelligence-driven,” another associate said.
Born on June 21, 1956, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Arase studied Political Science at Ahmadu Bello University, graduating in 1980. He joined the Nigeria Police Force on December 1, 1981, and later earned a Law degree from the University of Benin as well as a Master’s degree from the University of Lagos.
His distinguished career saw him serve as Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State and as Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of intelligence. He also represented Nigeria in Namibia as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission and was a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Arase retired from the Police Force on June 21, 2016, after reaching the mandatory retirement age.
Reacting to the news of his passing, a civil society advocate on police reform said: “Nigeria has lost a patriot who stood for professionalism in policing. His death is a huge loss not just to the police institution but to the entire nation.”
