(Police. Photo by Arise news)
The Nigeria Police Force has distributed over two billion naira in insurance and welfare payments to nearly 3,000 families of officers who d!ed in service.
The police leader handed over cheques to the beneficiaries on Thursday in Abuja.
The payments covered several years of insurance policies from 2017 through 2025 and included money that insurance companies had held back from earlier partial settlements.
The total amount distributed was exactly N2,317,177,094 and went to the families and next-of-kin of deceased officers.
The police leader said these payments were legitimate entitlements owed to families of officers who gave their lives while protecting others.
He stressed that the police force would not abandon the families of those who d!ed in the line of duty.
He recalled specific cases of officers k!lled in recent attacks and operations across the country, including officers att@cked in different states during various security operations.
He acknowledged that these deaths show the dangers and costs of police work and the burden families continue to bear after losing their breadwinners.
The police leader expressed sympathy to the bereaved families, noting that while no amount of money could replace a lost loved one, the payments represented the institution’s responsibility to those families.
He urged beneficiaries to use the money wisely, particularly for the education and care of children left behind.
He said the welfare of police personnel and their families remains a top priority and promised efforts to improve working conditions, healthcare, housing and other benefits.
He stressed that any institution demanding courage and sacrifice from its workers must show genuine commitment to their welfare in return.
The police force has also been visiting police stations across the capital territory to educate officers about their insurance benefits and how to access them.