AT INAUGURAL MEMORIAL LECTURE, DISU REMEMBERS ARASE AS A PROFESSIONAL, MENTOR AND GENTLEMAN AS EHINDERO CALLS FOR GREATER ROLE FOR RETIRED POLICE OFFICERS
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, has paid tribute to the late former Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, describing him as an exceptional police officer whose legacy of professionalism, intelligence, reform and humanity continues to influence policing in Nigeria.
Disu spoke at the inaugural memorial lecture organised in honour of the late police chief at the Nigeria Police Resource Centre, where senior serving and retired police officers, academics and other stakeholders gathered to remember Arase and discuss the future of policing in Nigeria.
The memorial lecture, organised by the Police Veterans Foundation, was held around the theme, “Policing, Good Governance and National Development: The Strategic Role of Police Veterans in Building a Secure Nation.”
For IGP Disu, the occasion was more than an official gathering.
He described it as a personal moment because of his close relationship with the late police chief and the opportunity he had to learn from and interact with him.
Disu said Arase was not only an accomplished police officer but also a man whose professional brilliance was matched by his concern for people.
According to the IGP, Arase understood that policing was ultimately about protecting lives, respecting human dignity and building public confidence in the police.
He also described the late police chief as intellectually curious and deeply committed to professionalism, noting that his contributions to police reform, professional development and institutional strengthening remain part of his lasting legacy.
But beyond his official achievements, Disu said Nigerians should remember the human side of Arase.
He described him as approachable, thoughtful, generous with knowledge and genuinely interested in the progress and welfare of other people.
For officers who had the opportunity to work with him, Disu said Arase would remain not only a former Inspector-General of Police, but also a mentor, counsellor, gentleman and friend.
The IGP said the death of Arase was a major loss to the Nigeria Police Force and the country, particularly to those who knew him personally.
However, he stressed that the memorial should not be reduced to mourning.
Rather, it should be an opportunity to celebrate a life dedicated to service and ensure that the values Arase stood for continue to guide policing in Nigeria.
Disu also commended the Police Veterans Foundation for establishing the memorial lecture and creating a platform where the contributions of retired police officers can continue to influence national security discussions.
The IGP’s tribute comes at a time when the Nigeria Police Force is facing increasing demands for improved professionalism, public trust, intelligence-led policing and stronger cooperation with communities.
The message from the memorial lecture was clear: policing cannot be left entirely to serving officers.
Retired officers still have experience, knowledge and institutional understanding that can be useful in dealing with Nigeria’s security challenges.
Former Inspector-General of Police, IGP Sunday Ehindero, who chaired the occasion, also paid tribute to Arase and used the opportunity to challenge serving and retired officers to think about the legacy they would leave behind.
Ehindero said Arase’s life and career demonstrated that the real measure of a person’s contribution was not simply how long the person lived or occupied an office, but how much he contributed to humanity.
He asked serving and retired police officers to consider what they would be remembered for after leaving the Force.
According to him, retirement from active police service should not mean retirement from national service.
Ehindero argued that retired police officers possess something extremely valuable — experience.
He said that experience should not be allowed to disappear simply because an officer has retired from active duty.
Instead, retired officers could serve as mentors, advisers, trainers and ambassadors for professional policing.
They could also help bridge the gap between the police and members of the public.
Ehindero particularly highlighted the possible role of police veterans in community policing.
Having served in different communities during their careers, he said retired officers understand the importance of relationships between the police and the people.
Their experience, he argued, could help in developing practical ways of rebuilding public confidence in the police.
The position is significant as the Nigeria Police Force continues to face criticism over issues including police-public relations, allegations of misconduct, corruption and the need for faster and more professional responses to security threats.
The involvement of retired officers could therefore provide an additional source of knowledge and experience for the Force.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Police Veterans Foundation, DIG Mohammed Yesufu, disclosed that the late Arase played an important role in the establishment of the foundation.
Yesufu said that while serving as Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Arase became concerned about the difficult conditions facing many retired police officers.
According to him, Arase began discussions with other like-minded officers on ways to improve the welfare of police veterans.
Following several meetings, the idea of establishing the Police Veterans Foundation was developed.
The foundation was officially launched on March 5, 2024.
However, Arase did not live long enough to see the foundation grow into the institution he had envisioned.
Yesufu therefore appealed to relevant authorities to support the foundation as it continues to develop.
He specifically called on the management of the Nigeria Police Force to consider establishing a Veterans Affairs Department at Force Headquarters, similar to structures existing in the three Nigerian armed forces.
Such a department, he argued, would provide a formal platform through which retired police officers could continue to access relevant government programmes and support.
The proposal also reflects a broader concern about the welfare of retired members of the Nigeria Police Force, many of whom spend decades serving the country before leaving active duty.
The Police Veterans Foundation believes that stronger institutional support could help address some of the challenges faced by former officers while also allowing their experience to remain available to the Force and the nation.
The memorial lecture itself focused on the wider relationship between policing, good governance and national development.
The discussions emphasised that effective policing is not only about arresting criminals or maintaining order.
A secure society also requires public confidence, respect for the law, professional conduct and cooperation between security agencies and the communities they serve.
This is where the role of police veterans could become important.
Retired officers who have spent years handling investigations, intelligence gathering, community relations and operational duties possess knowledge that can be passed to younger officers.
Their experience can also contribute to training, mentoring and policy discussions.
The memorial event brought together several prominent figures from the Nigeria Police Force, including serving and retired senior officers.
Among those present were former POWA President Mrs Agherase Arase, wife of the late IGP; Professor Etannibi Alemika, who delivered the public lecture; former IGP Mohammed Dikko Abubakar; DIG Jonathan Towuru (Rtd); DIG Ben Okolo; DIG Leye Oyebade (Rtd); Mr Muiz Banire; CP Lawrence Alibi (Rtd); AIG Dorothy Gimbal (Rtd); and CP Olayinka Balogun (Rtd), among others.
The gathering provided an opportunity for former colleagues, friends and associates of Arase to reflect on his career and the impact he had on policing in Nigeria.
Arase served as Inspector-General of Police and later became Chairman of the Police Service Commission, where he continued to contribute to discussions on police reform and institutional development.
His career was marked by a strong emphasis on professionalism and the need for the police to adapt to changing security challenges.
The tributes at the memorial lecture therefore went beyond his position as a former IGP.
They focused on the values of service, integrity, knowledge and humanity that his colleagues said defined his career.
For IGP Disu, the greatest way to honour Arase is not simply to continue speaking about his achievements.
It is to apply the principles he believed in.
That means building a police institution that respects citizens, protects lives, operates professionally and continues to improve its methods in response to new security challenges.
The memorial lecture also placed a responsibility on today’s police leadership and retired officers alike.
For serving officers, the challenge is to continue improving the Force.
For retired officers, the message from Ehindero was that leaving active service does not end their responsibility to the country.
As Nigeria continues to confront kidnapping, terrorism, cultism, armed robbery, cybercrime and other forms of criminality, the experience of former officers could become an important resource if properly organised and integrated into national security efforts.
The memory of Solomon Arase is therefore being positioned not simply as a reminder of a former police chief, but as a call for a better policing system.
His legacy, according to those who gathered to honour him, should be measured not only by the ranks he attained but by the people he influenced, the institutions he helped strengthen and the values he left behind.
The challenge now is whether those values will continue beyond memorial lectures and speeches.
For the Nigeria Police Force, the most meaningful tribute to a respected former Inspector-General may ultimately be the creation of a more professional, disciplined, accountable and people-focused institution — the kind of police service that Arase himself advocated.
IBN NEWS
Fearless, Strong & Reliable
