A rare breed: Civil Society Organizations pay tribute to Solomon Ehigiator Arase

Stanley Ihedigbo

Over 17 civil society organizations are deeply saddened by the passing of Inspector General of Police (rtd) and immediate past Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Solomon Ehigiator Arase, a rare breed of police officer whose commitment to reform, justice, and community policing left an indelible mark on the Nigeria Police Force and the nation at large.

In a statement made available to The Mirror, they lamented that Arase was not just another police officer.

He was a rare breed, an exceptional professional, and a reform-minded leader whose life epitomized integrity, intellect, discipline, and dedication to public service.

At a time when the Nigerian Police Force was plagued by a deep crisis of legitimacy, Arase stood tall as a model of what policing in a democracy should embody.

Renowned for his meritorious service to Nigeria, Arase’s rise through the ranks of the Police Force was marked by diligence, intellect, and excellence.

He served in diverse capacities, including as Principal Staff Officer to three successive Inspectors-General of Police between 2002 and 2008, Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, and Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Intelligence Bureau, where he spearheaded landmark reforms and restructuring initiatives that strengthened intelligence-led policing in Nigeria.

In 2015, he was appointed the 18th Inspector-General of Police, where he championed intelligence-driven operations, accountability, and community partnership.

He insisted on adherence to the UN Standard Minimum Rules on Law Enforcement, resulting in measurable improvements in respect for human rights by police officers under his leadership.

His tenure represented a clear shift from brute force policing toward smarter, evidence-based strategies.

Upon his retirement from the Force, he was appointed Chairman of the Police Service Commission, where he worked to entrench transparency, accountability, and meritocracy in police recruitment.

Despite stiff opposition from entrenched interests, he ensured that young Nigerians could join the police through a fair, corruption-free, and merit-based process.

Dr. Arase was a rare combination of scholar and practitioner. He was a graduate of Political Science and Law, held two Master’s degrees—one in Law (specializing in Corporate Management and Finance) and another in Strategic Studies—and went on to obtain a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Law.

He was a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence College and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

He authored and published several influential books on policing, making significant contributions to global knowledge on police reform, accountability, and democratic security management.

His reformist instincts transcended Nigeria.

He served as Secretary to a Presidential Committee on Police Reform, a member of the Nigeria Police Committee on Constitutional and Police Act Reforms, and worked with international institutions such as the Office of the National Security Adviser, the European Centre for Electoral Support, the Human Rights Centre at the University of Oslo, and the UN Committee on the Prevention of Torture in Geneva, Switzerland.

What truly distinguished Arase from many of his peers was his openness to constructive civil society engagement. While some police leaders often perceived rights groups as adversaries, Arase welcomed dialogue and collaboration.

He listened, he engaged, and he acted—making him a trusted partner in the quest for a more accountable, citizen-friendly, and rights-respecting police force.

Arase’s passing is a monumental loss—not only to his family, colleagues, and the Nigeria Police Force, but also to the nation and the international community of policing and human rights advocates. Nigeria has lost a reformer, a thinker, and a patriot who proved by example that policing can be a force for good.

As CSOs, we celebrate his life, honor his legacy, and urge the Nigerian government and the police establishment to honour his memory by faithfully implementing the Nigeria Police Act 2020 and sustaining the reforms he championed: intelligence-led policing, transparency in recruitment, accountability, community partnership, and unwavering respect for human rights.

The groups are, Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwanguma; Executive Director, Confluence of Rights, Nigeria, Olukayode Senbanjo, Esq; Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN); Saviour Akpan; COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peacebuilding, Abak, Akwa Ibom State; Victims Support Africa Foundation (Abuja); Miliki Idris; Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, CHRCR Lokoja, Kogi State; Human Rights Advocacy and Monitoring Group (HURAMG) and Justine Ijeomah; Human Rights Social Development and Environmental Foundation (HURSDEF).

Also, Elixir Trust: Elixir Trust Foundation; Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD); Comrade Nnanna Nwafor; Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy & Development (FENRAD); African Youths Initiative on Crime Prevention (AYICRIP); Centre for Community Empowerment and Poverty Eradication (CCEPE), Kwara; Legal Resources Consortium (LRC); Justice for Peace and Development Initiative (JPDI); Criminal Justice Network of Nigeria (CJNN); Saka Azimazi and Senior Partner, Goodshare & Maxwells, Stanley Ibe.