Solomon Arase, former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and ex-chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), has passed away.
Family sources revealed that the former police chief died at a hospital in Abuja after battling an undisclosed illness.
Arase served as Nigeria’s 18th IGP from April 2015 to June 2016 before retiring. In January 2023, he was appointed chairman of the Police Service Commission by then-President Muhammadu Buhari but was removed from the position in June 2024 by President Bola Tinubu.
Born on June 21, 1956, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Arase earned a degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1980. He joined the Nigeria Police Force on December 1, 1981, later obtaining a Law degree from the University of Benin and a Master’s degree from the University of Lagos.
Before becoming IGP, Arase led the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, the Force’s premier intelligence unit. He also served as Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State and Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Intelligence.
The late police chief had international experience as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Namibia and was a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).
He retired on June 21, 2016, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age.
May his soul rest in peace. Amen.
