Nigeria’s former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and ex-Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Solomon Ehigiator Arase, has passed away. He died at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja.
Solomon Arase, who served as the country’s 18th IGP, was widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most reform-driven police chiefs.
Before his appointment as IGP, he headed the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, the police’s foremost intelligence unit.
Born on June 21, 1956, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Arase earned a degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University in 1980 before joining the Nigeria Police Force in December 1981.
He later obtained a Law degree from the University of Benin and a Master’s degree from the University of Lagos.
Throughout his career, Arase served in several strategic capacities, including Principal Staff Officer to former IGPs, Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, and Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of intelligence.
He also represented Nigeria in Namibia under a United Nations peacekeeping mission and was a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Solomon Arase retired from the police on June 21, 2016, upon reaching the statutory retirement age.
In January 2023, he was appointed Chairman of the Police Service Commission by then-President Muhammadu Buhari, a role he held until June 2024.
He was celebrated for his commitment to police welfare and his reform-focused leadership.
His tenure introduced key initiatives such as the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), the Complaint Response Unit (CRU) to address police misconduct, and the Safer Highway Patrols, which improved safety for travelers across the country.
Even after retirement, Arase remained engaged in national security discourse, particularly in strengthening election security and promoting police neutrality during polls.
As of the time of filing this report, neither his family nor the Nigeria Police Force has issued an official statement confirming the development.