soThe Nigeria Police Force has paid N2.317bn in insurance and welfare benefits to 2,971 beneficiaries and next-of-kin of deceased police officers.

The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu presented the cheques to the beneficiaries on Thursday in Abuja.

According to him, the beneficiaries covered the 2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023 and 2024/2025 insurance policy years.

Disu said the payments amounted to exactly N2,317,177,094 and included outstanding balances recovered from insurance companies following earlier partial settlements.

He said the payments were legitimate entitlements arising from the sacrifices of police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

“Today, I am pleased to present benefits to 2,971beneficiaries and next-of-kin of deceased Police Officers amounting to N2,317,177,094.00.

“Beyond the financial value of these cheques, this exercise carries an important message: the Nigeria Police Force will not abandon the families of those who paid the supreme price in our service,” Disu said.

Disu said the security environment remained challenging, noting that the police had lost several personnel in attacks and operations across the country.

He specifically recalled officers killed at Buni-Yadi, Yobe State; members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit who died during a rescue mission in Zamfara State; and 10 personnel recently ambushed and killed during an operation in Kebbi State.

“Their courage reminds us of the demands of policing and the price our personnel sometimes pay to protect the lives and property of others. Their families continue to bear the greatest burden of their absence, and we must never lose sight of that reality,” he said.

The IGP expressed sympathy to the families of the deceased officers, stressing that the financial benefits could not replace their loved ones but represented the institutional responsibility owed to them.

“No amount of money can replace the loved one you have lost. However, these payments represent the institutional responsibility we owe to you and a practical expression of our appreciation for the sacrifices made by your loved ones,” he said.

Disu urged the beneficiaries to use the funds judiciously, particularly for the education and welfare of children and dependants left behind.

He said the welfare of police personnel remained a priority of his administration, promising continued efforts to improve working conditions, healthcare, accommodation and other legitimate benefits due to officers and their families.

“I have consistently maintained that an institution that demands courage, discipline, loyalty and sacrifice from its personnel must also demonstrate genuine commitment to their welfare and that of their families,” the IGP said.

He also commended the Force’s insurance partners and urged them to settle claims promptly, describing insurance benefits as a vital lifeline for families who had lost their breadwinners.

“For families who have lost their breadwinners, they can be a vital lifeline. Timely settlement therefore has a direct bearing on the welfare and stability of these families,” he said.

Disu further disclosed that the Force Insurance Unit had, in the past two months, visited six commands and more than 50 divisions and formations within the Federal Capital Territory to sensitise personnel on their insurance benefits.

He said the sensitisation was aimed at ensuring that serving officers and their families understood the processes for accessing available insurance benefits and entitlements.