EDO State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has confirmed the death of former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase.
He described him as a patriotic Nigerian and an illustrious son of the state.
Arase died on Sunday, August 31, at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja after battling an undisclosed ailment. He was 69.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, Okpebholo said the late police chief was a man of integrity who served Nigeria with distinction.
“We have lost a great mind, a dedicated public servant, and an exceptional leader. Dr. Arase was a man of integrity and honour who served our nation with distinction, rising to the pinnacle of his career through sheer hard work and dedication,” the governor said.
Okpebholo recalled that Arase’s tenure as the 18th Inspector-General of Police was marked by reforms in intelligence-led policing and efforts to strengthen community security.
He described him as a source of inspiration to young officers and a figure whose contributions to the nation’s security architecture would be remembered for generations.
The governor also extended his condolences to the Arase family and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), praying for the repose of the deceased’s soul.
Meanwhile, when The ICIR visited the Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja on Sunday to confirm Arase’s passing, staff members on duty declined to confirm his death and insisted on a formal letter before releasing any information.
The ICIR reporter’s pleas that the staff should allow him to see the managing director of the hospital or the facility’s spokesperson because he did not come with any letter fell on deaf ears.
Meanwhile, the reporter eventually confirmed from sources at the hospital that Arase died at the facility Sunday morning.
Born in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State on June 21, 1956, Arase joined the Nigeria Police Force on December 1, 1981, after earning a degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University.
He later obtained a Law degree from the University of Benin and a Master’s in Law from the University of Lagos.
During his career, he headed the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, served as Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, and later rose to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police. He also took part in a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Namibia and was a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Arase retired as IGP on June 21, 2016. In January 2023, he was appointed Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) by the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, but was removed from the post by President Bola Tinubu in June 2024.
As of the time of filing this report, the police and the late IGP’s family have yet to issue an official statement on his passing.
A reporter with the ICIR
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