Former Inspector-General of Police Solomon Ehigiator Arase has died, with multiple news outlets reporting that he passed away at Cedar Crest Hospital in Abuja in the early hours of Sunday.
Arase, who was born on 21 June 1956, was 69 years old. He served as Nigeria’s 18th Inspector-General of Police and retired from the force in 2016; in retirement he continued to play public roles, including serving as chairman of the Police Service Commission.
Reports say the former IGP died after a brief illness, though his family and the Nigeria Police Force had not issued an official statement at the time of reporting. Early accounts in national outlets and social media accounts cited family sources and hospital reports as the basis for the announcement.
Colleagues and public figures are expected to react in the coming hours and days as more details emerge. Arase’s career in the police spanned decades and included high-level appointments in intelligence and operations; his leadership and reform efforts during his tenure earned him recognition in both policing and legal circles.
Tributes will likely reflect both his record in the Nigeria Police Force and his post-service contributions. Observers point to his role in strengthening investigative capacity and in later oversight positions as part of a legacy that mixed operational policing with legal and administrative reform.
At the moment, official funeral arrangements and a full statement from the family or the Nigeria Police Force have not been released. News organisations covering the story urge confirmation from the family or police authorities before publishing additional details about cause of death and memorial plans.
Our condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Solomon Arase as more information becomes available. If you’d like, I can draft a shorter breaking-news blurb for social media or a longer obituary summarising his life and career with additional sourced details.
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