The Nigeria Police Force has paid ₦2.317bn in insurance and welfare benefits to 2,971 beneficiaries of deceased police officers.
Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, presented the cheques to the beneficiaries on Thursday in Abuja. The payments covered the 2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023 and 2024/2025 insurance policy years, according to the police.
Disu said the total payment amounted to ₦2,317,177,094. The sum also included outstanding balances recovered from insurance companies after earlier partial settlements.
Police assure families of continued support
Speaking during the presentation, Disu said the payments represented legitimate entitlements for officers who lost their lives while serving the country. He assured the families that the Nigeria Police Force would not abandon them after the loss of their loved ones.
“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.
The IGP acknowledged the difficult security situation across the country. He noted that several police personnel had died during attacks and security operations.
Disu recalled officers killed in Buni-Yadi, Yobe State, as well as members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit who died during a rescue mission in Zamfara State. He also remembered the 10 police personnel who were recently ambushed and killed during an operation in Kebbi State.
According to Disu, the sacrifices of the officers highlight the risks that police personnel face while protecting lives and property. He said the families left behind often carry the greatest burden after losing their loved ones.
Disu urges beneficiaries to use funds wisely
The IGP expressed sympathy to the families and acknowledged that no financial payment could replace their loved ones. However, he said the benefits represented an institutional responsibility to the families of officers who died in service.
“No amount of money can replace the loved one you have lost,” Disu said.
He urged the beneficiaries to use the funds wisely, especially for the education and welfare of children and other dependants left behind. Disu also assured serving officers that personnel welfare remained a priority under his leadership.
He said the Force would continue working to improve officers’ working conditions, healthcare, accommodation and other legitimate benefits.
Police seek faster insurance claims
Disu commended the Force’s insurance partners for their role in settling the claims. He urged insurance companies to process future claims promptly, describing the benefits as an important lifeline for families who lose their breadwinners.
“For families who have lost their breadwinners, they can be a vital lifeline,” he said.
The IGP also disclosed that the Force Insurance Unit had visited six commands and more than 50 divisions and formations in the Federal Capital Territory over the past two months. He said the visits focused on educating personnel about their insurance benefits and the procedures for accessing them.
Disu said the sensitisation would help serving officers and their families understand the benefits available to them and the steps required to access those entitlements.
