Egbetokun pays tribute to late IGP Solomon Arase at memorial event
…describes him as ‘an institution in himself’
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun has paid glowing tribute to the late former Inspector-General of Police and former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Dr. Solomon Ehigiator Arase, describing his death as a heavy loss to the Police Force and the nation.
Egbetokun gave the tribute on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at the Day of Tributes in Celebration of the Life and Times of Late IGP Solomon Ehigiator Arase (Rtd), a memorial event organised in honour of the 18th indigenous Inspector-General of Police.
Reflecting on Arase’s career, the IGP eulogised him as more than a law enforcement officer, calling him “an institution in himself, a rare blend of intellect, discipline, and humanity.”
He noted that since joining the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet ASP in 1981, Arase’s career was marked by resilience, excellence, and duty.
According to him, the late IGP rose through the ranks “with quiet confidence, inspired not merely by ambition but by a genuine desire to leave the organisation better than he met it,” culminating in his appointment as the 18th indigenous Inspector-General of Police in 2015.
The event attracted several dignitaries, including Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa; former Edo State Governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole; former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Victor Attah; former Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu; and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
Also in attendance were former Inspectors-General of Police Sunday Ehindero, Mike Mbama Okiro, Ogbonna Okechukwu Onovo, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, Suleiman Abba, and Usman Alkali Baba, alongside other eminent personalities, colleagues, and well-wishers who gathered to celebrate Arase’s remarkable legacy.
