By Ghazali Ibrahim
Former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and ex-chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Solomon Arase, has died at the age of 69.
Arase reportedly passed away at Cedarcrest Hospital, Abuja, though details surrounding his death remain unclear as of press time.
Neither his family nor the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has issued an official statement.
Nigeria’s 18th IGP, Arase served from April 2015 to June 2016 before retiring from active service.
In January 2023, he was appointed PSC chairman by then-President Muhammadu Buhari, but was removed in June 2024 by President Bola Tinubu.
Born June 21, 1956, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Arase studied Political Science at Ahmadu Bello University before joining the Nigeria Police Force on December 1, 1981.
He later earned a Law degree from the University of Benin and a Master’s from the University of Lagos.
Before becoming IGP, he headed the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, the Force’s top intelligence unit.
His career included roles as Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Intelligence, and a peacekeeping mission in Namibia under the United Nations.
A Fellow of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Arase retired from the Force on June 21, 2016, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age.
