Police Pay N2.3bn Insurance Benefits to Families of 2,971 Fallen Officers

The Nigeria Police Force has released N2.317bn in insurance and welfare benefits to 2,971 beneficiaries and next-of-kin of police officers who died in active service.

The cheques were presented on Thursday under the Force’s Group Life Assurance, Group Personal Accident and Inspector-General of Police Family Welfare Schemes.

The payments covered outstanding benefits from several insurance policy years, including 2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023 and 2024/2025.

Speaking at the presentation, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, said the exercise was not simply about financial compensation but a recognition of the sacrifices made by officers who lost their lives protecting Nigerians.

Disu said the beneficiaries represented families of personnel who served under difficult and dangerous circumstances, insisting that their sacrifices must not be forgotten.

The IGP disclosed that part of the money comprised outstanding balances recovered from insurance companies following earlier partial settlements.

He described the payments as legitimate entitlements arising from the service rendered by the deceased officers and assured their families that the police would not abandon them.

Among the fallen personnel remembered during the ceremony were officers killed in attacks at Buni-Yadi in Yobe State, members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit who died during a rescue operation in Zamfara State and 10 police personnel recently ambushed and killed during an operation in Kebbi State.

According to Disu, the deaths highlight the dangers routinely faced by police personnel in the line of duty and the sacrifices made to protect lives and property.

He urged the beneficiaries to use the funds prudently, particularly towards the education, welfare and future of children and other dependants left behind by the deceased officers.

The IGP also called on insurance companies handling police policies to ensure prompt settlement of claims, stressing that the benefits were a critical lifeline for families who had lost their breadwinners.

Also speaking, ACP Lydia Ameh of the Force Insurance Unit described the exercise as a fulfilment of the police institution’s responsibility to personnel and their families.

Ameh commended the IGP for prioritising personnel welfare and said the administration had demonstrated that welfare policies must translate into tangible assistance for officers and their dependants.

She told the families of the deceased officers that they had not been forgotten, while acknowledging that no financial payment could replace the loved ones they had lost.

The Force also disclosed that its Insurance Unit had, within two months, visited six police commands and more than 50 divisions and formations in the Federal Capital Territory to sensitise personnel and their families on available insurance schemes and claims procedures.

The ceremony ended with prayers for the repose of the souls of the fallen officers, comfort for their families and protection for serving personnel across the country.

The latest payment underscores renewed efforts by the Nigeria Police Force to address outstanding welfare obligations to families of officers who paid the ultimate price in service to the nation.