Tribute to Solomon Arase: Police Reformer who gave Nigerians A Voice Against Abuse

The news of the passing of Dr. Solomon Ehigiator Arase, former Inspector-General of Police and immediate past Chairman of the Police Service Commission, came as a deep shock. 

For me, as someone who has spent decades working on police reform and human rights, it is not just the loss of an outstanding police officer but the departure of a partner in reform, a thinker, and a patriot.

Arase was not the typical Nigerian police chief. He stood apart in both thought and action. At a time when the Nigeria Police Force was widely distrusted and often perceived as irredeemable, Arase represented a counter-narrative—a living proof that integrity, professionalism, and accountability were possible within the ranks of the Force.

One of his most transformative legacies was the establishment of the Nigeria Police Force Complaints Response Unit (CRU) in November 2015. For decades, impunity had been the defining feature of policing in Nigeria. Victims of police abuse were routinely silenced, and there was no institutional pathway for redress. 

By setting up the CRU, Arase did something radical: he gave Nigerians a voice. He created a platform through which ordinary citizens could report misconduct directly and expect some form of accountability.

The CRU was not set up for optics. It was functional, open to the public, and accessible through multiple channels—phone lines, social media, and email. Its reports were made public, and data on complaints were systematically collated. For a police institution that had long resisted transparency, this was unprecedented. In my work, I saw how it restored some measure of confidence. People began to believe, even if only cautiously, that their complaints could matter.

Of course, there was resistance. Many within the Force viewed the CRU as unnecessary, even threatening. Officers ignored its summons, while entrenched interests sought to undermine it. Successive police chiefs failed to build upon the foundation he laid. Yet, the CRU endured—largely because Arase had institutionalized it. His foresight ensured that it was written into the Police Act 2020, making it a statutory mechanism that future police leadership could not easily discard.

This singular innovation remains one of the most significant milestones in Nigeria’s journey toward police accountability. It showed that reform was not only possible but also sustainable when embedded in law and backed by a leader with courage and conviction.

But beyond structures and policies, what made Arase unique was his openness to civil society engagement. Unlike many of his predecessors and successors who treated human rights groups with suspicion or hostility, Arase welcomed dialogue. He listened. He engaged. He understood that reform was not a battle to be fought alone but a partnership to be built. For those of us in civil society, this was refreshing and rare. He bridged a gap that had, for too long, widened mistrust between the police and the people.

Arase was also a scholar of policing. A graduate of political science and law, with multiple advanced degrees culminating in a doctorate in public law, he brought intellectual rigor to policing. He authored books, wrote extensively on accountability and democratic security governance, and contributed to global knowledge on reform. He demonstrated that policing was not just about force but also about ideas, systems, and values.

His tenure as Inspector-General of Police also marked a deliberate shift from brute force to intelligence-driven policing. He encouraged accountability and community partnership, and under his leadership, there was a noticeable improvement in the respect for human rights by police officers. Later, as Chairman of the Police Service Commission, he further proved his reformist instincts by cleaning up the recruitment process, making it transparent, merit-driven, and corruption-free—again, in the face of stiff opposition from the “usual quarters” who thrived on manipulation and favoritism.

What lessons should we draw from his life and legacy?

First, that leadership matters. One visionary leader can set in motion reforms that change the trajectory of an institution.

Second, that accountability is non-negotiable. Without structures like the CRU, impunity will continue to define policing in Nigeria.

Third, that civil society is not an enemy of the police but a partner in reform. Arase understood this, and it is time the police leadership fully embraced it.

Finally, that reform must outlive reformers. Arase has left, but the work remains. His death should remind us that the fight for police accountability cannot be person-dependent; it must be system-dependent. Strengthening the CRU, deepening transparency in recruitment, and implementing the Police Act 2020 in full are ways to honor his memory.

Dr. Solomon Arase lived as a police officer, a reformer, a scholar, and a patriot. His death is a monumental loss to his family, the Nigeria Police Force, civil society, and indeed the Nigerian nation. But his legacy endures. He has shown us that policing can be reimagined, that accountability is possible, and that service with integrity is not beyond reach.

Adieu, Solomon Ehigiator Arase. You came, you served, and you left an indelible mark. May your vision continue to inspire generations of police officers and reformers.

Nwanguma Okechukwu,

Executive Director
Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC)