Segun Atanda/
ABUJA — Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has paid an emotional tribute to the late former IGP Solomon Arase, describing him as a cerebral police officer, reformer and mentor whose brilliance was firmly rooted in humanity.
Disu spoke on Monday at a public lecture organised by the Board of Trustees of the Police Veterans Foundation in honour of Arase at the Nigeria Police Resource Centre, Jabi, Abuja.
The lecture, delivered by renowned criminologist and policing scholar, Professor Etannibi E. O. Alemika, had as its theme, “Policing, Good Governance, and National Development: The Strategic Role of Police Veterans in Building a Secure Nation.”
The high-profile gathering was attended by Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu; former IGP Sunday Gabriel Ehindero; IGP M.D. Abubakar rtd, DIG Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi rtd, Special Assistant on Security to the Akwa State Governor; Dr.Muiz Banire, DIG Marvel Akpoyibo; retired DIG Leye Oyebade; retired DIG Jonathan Towuru; DIG Adegoke Fayoade; AIG Felix Ogbaudu rtd, retired CP Olayinka Balogun, the chairman, Board of Trustees, Police Veterans’ Foundation, DIG Mohammed Yesufu (Rtd); the National President, Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Chief Mrs Mutiat Olufunmilola Disu; the widow of the late IGP, Mrs Agharese Arase, past Presidents of POWA, the representative of the Chairman, Police Service Commission; AlG Tunde Mobayo (Rtd), the representative of the Director, Veterans Affairs, Defence Headquarters, C.A. Baushe, and members of the Force Management Team, alongside other senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force, serving and retired.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Police Veterans’ Foundation, DIG Mohammed Yesufu (Rtd), described the late IGP as an exceptional leader whose founding and chairmanship of the Foundation reflected his enduring commitment to the welfare of retired police officers. He called for the establishment of a Veterans Affairs Department within the Nigeria Police Force to further advance the Foundation’s mandate and ensure that- retired officers continue to benefit from relevant Federal Government programmes and support, in keeping with the legacy of the late IGP Arase.
For Disu, however, the occasion went beyond a formal gathering of the police hierarchy to reflect on security and national development. It was also an opportunity to remember a senior colleague whose influence, he said, transcended his years in office.
The IGP said speaking about Arase was more than an official responsibility; it was an emotional privilege, having known him closely, learnt from him and experienced firsthand the warmth, wisdom and humanity that defined the man behind the rank.
He described Arase as an exceptional police officer — cerebral, intellectually curious and deeply committed to professionalism.
“Yet, what made him particularly remarkable was that his brilliance was never detached from humanity,” Disu said.
According to the IGP, Arase understood that policing was ultimately about people — protecting their lives, respecting their dignity and building public confidence in the police.
Disu said the former police chief was equally convinced that the Nigeria Police Force could continuously reform and evolve to meet changing security and societal demands.
“He was also a man who believed strongly in the capacity of the Nigeria Police Force to evolve. His contributions to policing, police reform, professional development and institutional strengthening remain part of the enduring legacy he left behind,” he said.
But Disu said Arase’s legacy could not be measured solely by his professional accomplishments or the reforms associated with his career.
“But beyond the accomplishments recorded in official documents, there was Solomon Arase the man — approachable, thoughtful, generous with his knowledge and genuinely interested in the well-being and advancement of others,” the IGP said.
“Those of us who had the privilege of sharing moments with him will remember not only the IGP, but the mentor, the counsellor, the gentleman and the friend.
“His passing last year was a profound loss to the Nigeria Police Force and to our nation. For those of us who knew him personally, it was also the painful loss of someone whose presence enriched our lives.”
Alemika’s lecture placed the tribute within the broader question of Nigeria’s security and governance, highlighting the strategic role experienced police veterans can play in strengthening policing and contributing to national development.
In her goodwill message, the National President, POWA, Chief Mrs Mutiat Disu, commended the late Veteran’s selfless service, citing in particular his unwavering scholarship support for children of fallen officers and his efforts to address the socio-economic challenges faced by retired personnel. She described him as an embodiment of peace, sacrifice and professionalism under the most trying circumstances.
The gathering underscored a central message of the event: that retirement need not mark the end of an officer’s contribution to national security, as decades of operational experience, institutional memory and professional expertise can be harnessed to strengthen policing and help build a safer Nigeria.
Arase, Nigeria’s 18th Inspector-General of Police, remained active in public service and conversations around policing and institutional reform after leaving the Force, leaving behind a legacy that Monday’s gathering sought both to celebrate and preserve.
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