Edo-born former Nigerian Police Inspector General Solomon Arase dies

Nigeria has lost one of its most respected law enforcement chiefs as Dr. Solomon Ehigiator Arase, a former Inspector General of Police (IGP), passed away in Abuja. He was 69.

Family sources confirmed that the Edo-born retired police chief died on Sunday, August 31, 2025, at a hospital in Abuja, where he had been receiving medical treatment.

Arase, who served as Nigeria’s 18th Inspector General of Police, was appointed in April 2015 by then-President Goodluck Jonathan and retired in June 2016 after reaching the mandatory retirement age. His tenure was marked by efforts to professionalize the police force, improve intelligence-led policing, and enhance community relations.

Until his death, Arase was actively engaged in national assignments. In 2023, President Bola Tinubu appointed him as Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), where he played a crucial role in addressing issues of police recruitment, discipline, and welfare.

Born on June 21, 1956, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Arase had a distinguished career spanning over three decades in the Nigeria Police Force.

He held several key positions, including Head of the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, before rising to the apex of his profession.

Tributes have begun pouring in from political leaders, security experts, and civil society groups who described him as “a thoroughbred officer,” “a reform-minded police chief,” and “a patriot who gave his best to national service.”

The Police Service Commission is expected to issue an official statement, while burial arrangements will be announced by his family in due course.