Nigeria has been thrown into mourning following the reported death of former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase at Cedarcrest Hospital, Abuja. The news, which surfaced on Sunday, was confirmed by his son Solomon Arase.
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.
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, before joining the Nigeria Police Force in December 1981. He later earned a Law degree from the University of Benin and a Master’s degree from the University of Lagos.
Throughout his distinguished career, Arase held several high-profile positions, including Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom, Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of intelligence, and Head of the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, the Force’s premier intelligence unit. He also represented Nigeria in Namibia under a United Nations peacekeeping mission and was a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
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After reaching mandatory retirement age, he bowed out of the Nigeria Police Force on June 21, 2016. His contributions to policing and national security earned him recognition as one of the country’s most experienced law enforcement officers.
As tributes pour in, Nigerians reflect on Arase’s decades of service, his reforms in intelligence-led policing, and his legacy as a public servant dedicated to national security.