Nigeria has lost one of its most distinguished and cerebral police chiefs,former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Ehigiator Arase, who died in a private hospital in Abuja at the age of 69.
A statement by the family,signed by his eldest son,Solomon Arase Jr.,said he passed away at the Cedarcrest Hospital, Abuja after a brief illness.
The statement which was released on Sunday, August 31,2025,reads:
“The Arase family of Benin-City, Edo State, hereby announces the passage of Solomon Ehigiator Arase, PhD., CFR, NPM, FDC, Former Inspector General of Police.
“He passed on at about 9 a.m. on Sunday, August 31,2025, at the Cedarcrest Hospital, Abuja, after a brief illness.
“The family appeals for prayers and support as burial arrangements will be announced in due course,” the statement added.
An unconfirmed police source had earlier said that the former police boss reportedly collapsed recently at a wedding in Morocco where he was resuscitated and flown back to Nigeria.
The source added that he reportedly relapsed in his Abuja home before being rushed to the Cedarcrest Hospital,Abuja, where he died.
Following the family’s announcement, the Inspector-General of Police(IGP), Kayode Egbetokun,on Sunday, led a delegation of senior police officers to the Abuja residence of the late IGP to commiserate with the bereaved family.
Arase, who was born on June 21, 1956, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, was Nigeria’s 18th Inspector-General of Police(IGP).
A career officer known for his intellect, discipline, and professional reforms, he rose through the ranks after joining the Force on December 1, 1981.
He graduated in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University in 1980 before proceeding to obtain a law degree from the University of Benin and a Master’s degree from the University of Lagos.
His expertise in intelligence and criminal investigation earned him respect within and outside the country.
Before his appointment as IGP in April 2015, Arase headed the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau(CIIB), the Force’s premier intelligence arm.
He also served as Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Assistant Inspector-General in charge of intelligence, and participated in a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Namibia.
A Fellow of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Arase retired from service on June 21, 2016, after attaining the statutory retirement age.
In January 2023, he was appointed Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) by then-President Muhammadu Buhari, a role he held until June 2024.
Widely regarded as one of the more reform-minded leaders of the Nigeria Police, Arase advocated intelligence-driven policing, respect for human rights, and the welfare of officers.
He was also a member of the Body of Benchers.
His death marks the end of an era for the Nigeria Police Force and the nation at large, which he served for nearly four decades.
