Former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Ehigiator Arase has passed away at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja. He was 68.
As of the time of filing this report, neither his family nor the Nigeria Police Force has released an official statement confirming the development.
Arase, who served as Nigeria’s 18th Inspector-General of Police from April 2015 to June 2016, was later appointed Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) in January 2023 by former President Muhammadu Buhari. He held the position until June 2024 when he was relieved of his duties 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, Zaria, graduating in 1980. He joined the Nigeria Police Force on December 1, 1981, and went on to obtain a Law degree from the University of Benin as well as a Master’s degree from the University of Lagos.
During his distinguished career, he held several strategic positions, including Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Intelligence, and head of the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau — the police force’s top intelligence unit.
Arase also represented Nigeria on the international stage, serving in Namibia as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission. He was a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
He retired from the Nigeria Police Force on June 21, 2016, after reaching the mandatory retirement age.
