By Kingsley Omonobi
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, has presented life insurance benefits totalling ₦2,317,177,094 to 2,971 next of kin and family members of police officers who died in the line of duty.
Disu presented the cheques on Thursday at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, describing the payment as more than a routine administrative exercise but an institutional responsibility to honour the sacrifices of fallen police personnel.
He said the gesture was aimed at ensuring that the sacrifices of officers who lost their lives protecting Nigerians were not forgotten.
“We are not merely presenting cheques. We are honouring the memories of police officers who gave their lives in service to our nation and affirming our commitment to the families they left behind,” he said.
The IGP said every fallen officer was first a cherished member of a family before becoming part of the nation’s security architecture.
“Every officer represented here today was a member of a family before becoming a member of the Nigeria Police Force.
“They were fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters who carried personal hopes and responsibilities, yet chose to serve a nation that demanded courage and sacrifice from them,” he said.
According to Disu, the ₦2.31 billion payout covered outstanding claims from several insurance policy periods between 2017 and 2025 under the Group Life Assurance Scheme, Group Personal Accident Scheme and the IGP Family Welfare Scheme.
He said the payment also included balance recoveries from insurance companies following previous partial settlements.
Addressing widows, orphans and other relatives of the deceased officers, Disu acknowledged that no financial compensation could replace their loved ones but assured them of the continued support of the Nigeria Police Force.
“No amount of money can replace the loved ones you have lost. However, this payment represents the institutional responsibility we owe to you and a practical expression of our appreciation.
“The Nigeria Police Force will not abandon the families of those who paid the supreme price in our service. We will not abandon you,” he said.
The IGP recalled recent incidents in which police personnel were killed in the line of duty, including tactical officers ambushed in Kebbi State, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, EOD, operatives killed during a rescue operation in Zamfara State, and officers attacked in Bunza, Yobe State.
He said the incidents underscored the increasingly dangerous security environment in which police personnel operate.
“Their courage reminds us of the demands of policing and the price our personnel sometimes pay to protect others’ lives and property,” Disu said.
The IGP urged the beneficiaries to manage the funds prudently, with priority given to the long-term education, welfare and stability of the children left behind.
He also directed the Force Insurance Unit to intensify sensitisation campaigns across state commands and formations to ensure that serving personnel and their families understood their insurance entitlements.
Disu further urged insurance underwriters to treat claims involving police personnel not merely as routine commercial transactions but as critical support for families who had lost their breadwinners in the line of duty.
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