BREAKING: Former IGP Solomon Arase Is Dead- Ekohotblog

Former IGP Solomon Arase Is Dead
He was respected for reform-driven policing and commitment to welfare.
His foundation awarded scholarships to support education and youth empowerment.

Former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Ehigiator Arase, has passed away at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja. He was 68.

Arase, who served as Nigeria’s 18th Inspector-General of Police, was later appointed Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC). Before becoming IGP, he headed the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, the top intelligence unit of the Nigeria Police Force.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that born on June 21, 1956, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Arase studied Political Science at Ahmadu Bello University, graduating in 1980, and joined the Nigeria Police Force on December 1, 1981. He later obtained a Law degree from the University of Benin and a Master’s degree from the University of Lagos.

Throughout his career, he held several strategic roles, including Principal Staff Officer to former IGPs, Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, and Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of intelligence. He also represented Nigeria in Namibia under a United Nations peacekeeping mission and was a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence Academy.

Arase retired from the Force on June 21, 2016, upon reaching the statutory retirement age. In January 2023, he was appointed Chairman of the Police Service Commission by then-President Muhammadu Buhari, a position he held until June 2024.

He was widely respected for his commitment to police welfare and reform-driven leadership. During his tenure as IGP, he introduced key initiatives, including the Intelligence Response Team, the Complaint Response Unit to tackle police misconduct, and the Safer Highway Patrols, which boosted security for travelers across the country. Even after retirement, he continued to champion policing reforms, particularly around election security and neutrality.

Beyond policing, Arase invested in education, youth empowerment, and social impact. Through the Solomon Ehigiator Arase Foundation (SEAF), he promoted academic excellence by awarding scholarships to Nigerian students, with a particular focus on children of deceased police officers and those from underserved communities.

In 2025, the Foundation awarded scholarships to 29 beneficiaries across fields such as Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering, Criminology, Political Science, and Business Administration. SEAF described the initiative as not just financial support but an investment in Nigeria’s future leaders and a step toward building a more just and equitable society.

The 2025 award ceremony was marked by messages of hope and renewed calls for sustained investment in education and empowerment, especially for disadvantaged groups.

Arase is remembered as a principled leader, reformer, and patriot whose legacy left a lasting impact on Nigeria’s security sector and broader development landscape.