Nigeria has lost one of its foremost police chiefs, former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase, who passed away in the early hours of Saturday at Cedarcrest Hospital, Abuja.
Close sources to the situation revealed that Arase was flown into Nigeria in a coma from Morocco on Friday after allegedly suffering food poisoning at a wedding ceremony. Although he briefly regained consciousness on Saturday, he later relapsed and died.
Arase, who served as the country’s 18th Inspector-General of Police, was later appointed Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) in January 2023 by former President Muhammadu Buhari. He was, however, 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, Zaria, graduating in 1980. He joined the Nigeria Police Force on December 1, 1981, later earning a Law degree from the University of Benin and a Master’s degree from the University of Lagos.
Throughout a distinguished career spanning over three decades, Arase held several strategic positions, including Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State and Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Intelligence. He also headed the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, the Force’s elite intelligence arm.
Arase represented Nigeria during a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Namibia and was a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence Academy. He retired from active service on June 21, 2016, upon reaching the statutory retirement age of 60.
His death has drawn tributes from within and outside the security community, with many describing him as a thoroughbred officer who left an indelible mark on policing in Nigeria.
However, as of the time of filing this report, the family and the Nigerian Police are yet to release an official statement on his death.
