Former chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and deputy inspector general of police (rtd) Parry Osayande died on Sunday, a day before his 89th birthday.
Mr Osayande died in the early hours of Sunday in Benin City.
He would have turned 89 on Monday.
His death was confirmed by the president of the Immaculate Conception College Old Boys’ Association (ICCOBA) Worldwide, Ighodalo Edetanlen, in a statement on Sunday afternoon.
Osayande served as chairman of the PSC from 2008 to 2013.
During his tenure, he oversaw the construction of the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Before his retirement, he was DIG Operations, coordinating key assignments including Nigeria’s participation in the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Namibia.
One of his former aides, retired commissioner of police Fatai Owoseni, confirmed the death in a tribute.
Mr Owoseni wrote, “A big and mighty Iroko Tree has fallen. Indeed, the quality of humanity has been diminished. The famous Nigerian super cop, DIG Parry Osayande (rtd), has gone into eternal rest. Farewell, Baba!!!”
He described Osayande as an officer known for his bluntness and commitment to police reforms.
Osayande was commissioner of police in Bendel State when notorious armed robber Lawrence Anini was arrested in 1986.
He also played roles in quelling religious crises in Bauchi in 1990 and Kano in 1991.
The retired DIG combined his police career with his Benin royal heritage.
He was recognised with national honours, including OFR and CFR.
Parry Osayande’s death comes less than three months after that of another Benin-born police chief, former inspector general of police Solomon Arase, who died in June.
