Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has described his predecessor, the late IGP Solomon Arase, as an exceptional leader whose contributions to policing extended beyond his years in active service, saying his legacy of service, integrity, intellect, humanity and sacrifice would continue to endure.
Disu stated this on Monday at a public lecture organised to mark the one-year remembrance of Arase, who died on August 31, 2025.
The lecture was themed, “Policing, Good Governance, and National Development: The Strategic Role of Police Veterans in Building a Secure Nigeria.”
In his tribute, the IGP said Arase understood that policing was fundamentally about protecting people’s lives, respecting their dignity and building public confidence in the police.
According to Disu, “The late IGP Arase understood that policing is, at its core, about protecting people’s lives, respecting their dignity, and building public confidence in the police.”
He described the late police chief as a leader whose contributions went beyond his years in active service, noting that his commitment to the profession and the welfare of police personnel continued to be reflected in the institutions and initiatives he helped establish.
Disu said Arase was distinguished by “service, intellect, integrity, humanity and sacrifice,” adding that these qualities helped shape the enduring legacy he left behind in the Nigeria Police Force and beyond.
The lecture, attended by serving and retired senior police officers, former Inspectors-General of Police and associates of the late Arase, provided a platform for discussions on policing, good governance, leadership and national development.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Police Veterans’ Foundation, DIG Mohammed Yesufu (Rtd), described Arase as an exceptional leader whose founding and chairmanship of the Foundation reflected his commitment to the welfare of retired police officers.
Yesufu called for the establishment of a Veterans Affairs Department within the Nigeria Police Force to advance the Foundation’s mandate and ensure that retired officers continue to benefit from relevant Federal Government programmes and support, in keeping with Arase’s legacy.
The National President of the Police Officers’ Wives Association, Mrs Olufunmilola Disu, also commended Arase for his service, particularly his support for the education of children of fallen officers and his efforts to address the socio-economic challenges facing retired personnel.
She described the late police chief as an embodiment of peace, sacrifice and professionalism, while participants at the event called for the Police Veterans’ Foundation to be developed into a lasting institution.
The event ended with the presentation of awards to beneficiaries, including Mrs Agharese Arase, widow of the late IGP.
