Former Inspector-General of Police Solomon Arase Dies in Abuja
Nigeria has been thrown into mourning following reports of the death of former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Ehigiator Arase.
He was said to have passed away on Sunday, August 31, 2025, at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja after a brief illness. He was 69 years old.
Though an official statement is yet to be released by his family or the Nigeria Police Force, multiple media outlets have confirmed the development.
News of his passing has stirred widespread tributes across the security community and among Nigerians familiar with his long career in law enforcement.
Born on June 21, 1956, in Edo State, Arase joined the Nigeria Police Force on December 1, 1981, and steadily rose through the ranks. He served in several critical roles, including Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, head of the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, and Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of intelligence.
He was also a veteran of United Nations peacekeeping operations in Namibia and a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Arase became Nigeria’s 18th Inspector-General of Police in April 2015, appointed by then-President Goodluck Jonathan. He held the position until June 21, 2016, when he retired upon reaching the mandatory retirement age.
During his tenure, he emphasized community policing and intelligence-led operations as a means of tackling crime and improving relations between the police and the public.
In January 2023, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him as Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), a role he held until June 2024 when he was removed by President Bola Tinubu. Even after leaving public office, he remained an influential voice in security policy debates.
Arase’s death marks the loss of one of Nigeria’s most experienced police officers of the last four decades. Tributes are expected from senior government officials, security agencies, and colleagues who served with him during his time in the force.
Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced by his family.
