Former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Ehigiator Arase is dead. He died at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja at the age of 69.
Arase, Nigeria’s 18th Inspector-General of Police, was appointed to lead the Force in April 2015 and retired in June 2016 after reaching the statutory age of 60. In January 2023, he was named Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) by then-President Muhammadu Buhari, a position he held until mid-2024.
Born on June 21, 1956, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Arase studied Political Science at Ahmadu Bello University before joining the police in 1981. He later earned a Law degree from the University of Benin and a Master’s degree from the University of Lagos.
Over a career spanning more than three decades, he served in strategic roles including Head of the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom, and Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of intelligence. He was also part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Namibia.
As IGP, Arase championed reforms focused on intelligence-led policing, accountability, and road safety. His tenure saw the establishment of the Intelligence Response Team, the Complaint Response Unit, and Safer Highway Patrols — initiatives that earned him respect within and outside the Force.
Beyond policing, Arase was passionate about education and youth empowerment. Through the Solomon Ehigiator Arase Foundation (SEAF), he awarded scholarships to bright students, particularly children of fallen police officers and young people from underserved backgrounds. In 2025 alone, 29 beneficiaries across various fields of study received support.
He is remembered as a reformer, mentor, and patriot whose legacy will endure in Nigeria’s policing and social development.
