0:00
Solomon Ahiji to Arace may be the true
0:03
definition of the popular saying that
0:05
police is your friend. If only you are a
0:07
good character police officer. The
0:09
former inspector general of police
0:11
Solomon Eiji Aris apparently validated
0:14
the afor statement to be true when his
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death was announced on Sunday August
0:20
31st 2025. The death sparked uncommon
0:23
good words of condolences from many
0:26
Nigerians. Unlike before, millions of
0:28
Nigerians make negative comments against
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dead top government officials. But in
0:33
the case of ARSA, millions of Nigerians
0:36
took to their social media pages and
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comment sections to say good things
0:40
about the IGP that police the Nigeria
0:43
states between April 2015 and June 2016.
0:47
Even human rights activists that always
0:50
talk negative about the Nigeria police
0:52
force like barrista Adanju Deji was
0:55
among the earliest mourners on Sunday to
0:57
be at the residence of the late IGP to
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pay a condolence visit with a tribute
1:02
saying, "May the soul of former IGP
1:05
Solomon Aris rest in peace. In my about
1:09
20 years of knowing him, he helped us
1:11
get freedom for many student union
1:13
leaders and comrades who were unlawfully
1:15
detained. As IGP and after his
1:18
retirement, we remained close and
1:20
continued to seek his help whenever
1:22
citizens rights were abused. We also
1:24
observed that many serving and retired
1:26
police officers like DCP Alumi were
1:30
adjok to their personal social media
1:33
accounts to tell the world how good
1:35
Solomon Ehijia to Aris was during and
1:38
after service. This a Nigerian citizen
1:41
by name Odatayo took to the Nigeria
1:44
Police Force Facebook comment section
1:47
and said, "Hope the current IGP and all
1:50
other AIGPS and DIGPS and all Nigeria
1:54
Police Force officers are online and
1:56
reading comments. Hopefully we would get
1:58
something like this to be written for
2:00
them too when their own time comes."
2:03
President Bola Tonubu in a statement
2:05
signed by the presidential spokesperson
2:08
Beo Onuga condol with the Nigeria Police
2:10
Force NPF over Solomon Ehijia to Aris
2:15
CFR the 18th indigenous inspector
2:18
general of police IGP who died on Sunday
2:21
at 69. President Tanubu commiserates
2:24
with the family, friends and associates
2:26
of the highly resourceful officer.
2:29
Harris reforms as IGP and later as
2:32
chairman of the police service
2:33
commission brought lasting changes to
2:35
the force. The president acknowledges
2:38
the dedication of the former IGP to
2:40
enhancing security in the country
2:42
through initiatives such as the
2:44
intelligence response team, the
2:46
complaint response unit and safer
2:48
highway patrols. Reflecting on Arisa's
2:51
lordable service to the country,
2:53
President Tonubu remarks, "Aris served
2:56
the police force meritoriously from 1981
3:01
During his career, he led tactical,
3:03
operational, and intelligence units,
3:06
including United Nations peacekeeping in
3:08
Namibia, the commissioner of police in
3:11
Aquar, and the principal staff officer
3:15
He was assistant inspector general of
3:17
police in charge of force intelligence
3:20
bureau FIB and deputy inspector general
3:23
of police force criminal investigation
3:26
department. After retirement he
3:29
continued to serve the nation in various
3:31
public roles including as chairman of
3:33
the police service commission and as
3:35
head of the task force on implementing
3:37
the Edeto state anti-comm community
3:39
development association law. His
3:42
expertise extended to consultancy roles
3:44
with the office of the national security
3:46
advisor on NSA, the European Center for
3:50
Electoral Support, the Human Rights
3:52
Center at the University of Oslo, and as
3:54
a member of the Committee on Prevention
3:56
of Torture in Geneva, Switzerland. I
3:59
pray for the peaceful repose of the soul
4:01
of this dedicated security expert whose
4:04
experience and contributions will be
4:06
deeply missed by our nation. Meanwhile,
4:09
the Nigeria Police Force has opened a
4:12
condolence register at the force
4:14
headquarters, Abuja, for the revered
4:17
former police chief as senior officers
4:19
and staff pay their respects. In honor
4:22
of his memory, the police flag will fly
4:25
at half mast in all commands and
4:26
formations nationwide, according to the
4:29
Nigeria Police Authority. In a statement
4:32
issued on Sunday, the Nigeria Police
4:35
Force says it's deeply saddened to
4:37
announce the passing of the 18th
4:39
Indigenous Inspector General of Police
4:41
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and
4:43
immediate past chairman of the Police
4:45
Service Commission, IGP Solomon Ahiji
4:49
Aris, CFR, NPM, FDC, FCIA, retired, who
4:55
died in the early hours of Sunday,
4:57
August 31st, 2025 at Cedarrest hospital
5:01
Abuja after a brief illness. The news of
5:04
the passing of IGP Aris was officially
5:07
communicated to IGP Care Eggbeen through
5:11
his first son Mr. Solomon Oabian Aris
5:14
Junior on Sunday. IGP Solomon Aris born
5:19
on the 21st of June 1956 in Owen West
5:23
local government of Edeto state attended
5:25
Amaduellow University Zarya where he
5:28
earned his first degree in political
5:30
science. He later obtained a bachelor's
5:33
degree in law from the University of
5:35
Benin, a master's degree in law from the
5:38
University of Lagos and a PhD in public
5:41
law from the Ambrose Ali University at
5:43
Poma Edo State. He was enlisted into the
5:47
Nigeria Police Force on the 1st of
5:52
During the course of his illustrious
5:54
policing career, IGP aris served in
5:57
various capacities including principal
5:59
staff officer PSO to three IGPS between
6:03
2002 and 2008. Commissioner of police in
6:07
Aquar state. Pioneer Assistant Inspector
6:10
General of Police in charge of Force
6:12
Intelligence Bureau, FIB and DIG Force
6:15
Criminal Investigation Department, FCID,
6:18
respectively. He was appointed the 18th
6:21
indigenous inspector general of police
6:23
in April 2015 and retired on the 21st of
6:29
He was thereafter appointed the chairman
6:31
police service commission on the 24th of
6:33
January 2023 by late president Muhammadu
6:37
Buuhari a post which he held until the
6:42
He is also a fellow of the defense
6:44
college and a member of the prestigious
6:46
body of benches. During his tenure as
6:49
the inspector general of police, he
6:51
introduced major initiatives for the
6:53
reform and improvement of the force such
6:56
as the complaint response unit for swift
6:58
responses to public complaints and
6:59
adequate protection of citizens rights.
7:02
IGP ARSA exemplified the highest
7:05
standards of professionalism, bravery,
7:08
and leadership. While his contributions
7:10
to national security and police reform
7:12
continue to resonate within the force
7:14
and beyond, his passing is not just the
7:17
culmination of a remarkable chapter, but
7:19
a moment of collective mourning of a man
7:21
who served with pride and honor. Through
7:24
the Solomon Ehiji Aris Foundation, SEAF,
7:29
he supported academic excellence by
7:31
awarding scholarships to outstanding
7:33
Nigerian students with particular focus
7:35
on children of deceased police officers
7:37
and indigent students. The inspector
7:40
general of police IGP Car Yode Adolu
7:44
Egen PhD NPM while paying condolence
7:48
visit to the family of the deceased IGP
7:51
in Abuja today extended heartfelt
7:54
condolences on behalf of officers and
7:56
men of the Nigeria police force to the
7:59
family friends and former colleagues of
8:01
the late IGP arispken
8:05
acknowledges the deep pain of this loss
8:07
and prays for comfort
8:09
strength and peace for all in this time
8:11
of grief while appreciating the
8:13
contributions of the late police boss to
8:15
police reforms and national security.
8:19
The memory of late IGP Aris will forever
8:22
remain etched in the heart of the force
8:24
and the country he so faithfully served.
8:26
May his soul rest in perfect peace.
8:29
signed DCP alumi adajabi the force
8:33
public relations officer for the
8:35
inspector general of police on the 31st
8:40
Former Edo state governor Gorman Obiski
8:43
in a statement on Sunday said, "I
8:46
received with shock the news of the
8:47
passing of our illustrious son, elder
8:49
statesman and patriot Dr. Solomon Aris.
8:53
His demise is a monumental loss not only
8:56
to his immediate family but to Edo state
8:58
and the entire nation. Dr. Aris edged
9:02
his name in history as the first Edo son
9:04
to ascend to the exalted office of
9:06
inspector general of police. He bore the
9:09
distinction with uncommon dignity and in
9:11
that high office he served Nigeria with
9:14
integrity, courage and exemplary
9:16
professionalism. His career was a legacy
9:19
of discipline, excellence, and the
9:21
highest ideals of public service. In
9:24
retirement, he did not retreat from
9:27
service. With a deep sense of duty to
9:29
his people, he continued to lend his
9:31
wisdom and experience. I had the
9:34
privilege of working closely with him
9:36
when as governor, I appointed him to
9:39
chair the Edeto State Private Property
9:41
Protection Committee, ESPPPC.
9:44
In that role, he confronted the decadesl
9:47
long menace of land grabbing with
9:48
firmness and fairness, restoring order,
9:51
sanity, and justice to our communities.
9:54
Dr. Aris was much more than a public
9:57
servant. He was a man of deep humanity,
10:00
humble yet brilliant, firm yet
10:02
compassionate, a leader whose life
10:04
reflected his abiding belief in justice
10:06
and the common good. His passing leaves
10:08
a void that will be deeply felt across
10:10
the nation. I extend heartfelt
10:13
condolences to the Aris family, his
10:16
friends, colleagues, the Nigeria Police
10:18
Force, and indeed all Nigerians.
10:21
May the Almighty grant us all the
10:23
fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,
10:26
and may his soul find eternal rest.
10:28
Aquar state governor pastor Yumoino
10:32
said, "Yesterday I received with shock
10:34
and sadness the news of the passing of
10:36
former inspector general of police
10:39
Solomon Aris CFR. On behalf of the
10:42
government and people of Aqua Ibomb
10:44
State, I extend my deepest condolences
10:47
to his family, the Nigeria Police Force,
10:50
friends and associates. The late IGP
10:53
Aris served our nation with distinction
10:56
as the 18th inspector general of police
10:58
where he introduced critical reforms in
11:00
intelligence gathering and crime
11:02
prevention. He also served Aqua Ibomb as
11:05
commissioner of police with passion and
11:07
contributed to the peace and security we
11:09
enjoy today. Even in retirement as
11:13
chairman of the police service
11:14
commission, he continued to serve our
11:16
nation with commitment. May his soul
11:19
rest in peace. There must be
11:21
consequences for crime.
11:22
Yes. So your word of advice to these
11:24
I want to appeal to the young ones out
11:27
there that um you see when when you
11:30
allow yourself to be used
11:33
to for the actualization of other
11:36
people's dreams in such a negative way.
11:39
Uh you are doing a very big disservice
11:41
to yourself and to the country. Violence
11:44
is not a panacea to you know problems.
11:47
there all of us we have problems
11:50
you know and uh we all try to struggle
11:53
to make sure that you know we we are
11:55
able to live in so I want to appeal to
11:59
all the young men there uh whenever
12:02
these guys they call you out to come and
12:04
you know become destructive you should
12:07
also think that they have most of their
12:08
children in the Ivy League schools you
12:11
know who are out there you know doing
12:12
their own thing too so don't uh don't
12:14
allow yourself to be used uh there's
12:17
There's always many tomorrows.
12:29
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