Police Disburse N5.7bn to 2,148 Families of Deceased Officers

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Nigeria Police Force Tuesday presented cheques totalling N5,754,290,486.38 to the families of deceased police officers who had selflessly given their lives in service to the nation.

Presenting the cheques to the benefiting families at the Force Headquarter in Abuja on Tuesday, the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun said this is the largest disbursement ever in the history of cheques presentation to family members of deceased police officers. He stated that the disbursement reflected police commitment to easing the burden on the families of fallen colleagues.

According to him “These disbursement covers payments for insurance policies for the years 2018/2019, 2021/2022, 2022/2023, and 2023/2024. The policies include the Group Life Assurance, Group Personal Accident Insurance, the Inspector-General of Police Family Welfare Scheme, and the Group Life Assurance Death Benefit Arrears for the uninsured period of 2021/2022”.

He said the Group Life Assurance Scheme and the IGP Family Welfare Scheme were created to provide welfare support and financial succour to the families of deceased officers.

“While we know that no amount of money can replace the loss of a loved one, these schemes aim to offer some relief and help the families cope with their grief and the challenges they face. Policing a dynamic society like ours is quite demanding. It requires courage, resilience, and dedication. Our officers bravely face danger every day, often putting their own safety at risk, and in some cases, sacrificing their lives for the safety of the community. Today’s event honours our departed officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. The least we can do for the families they left behind, is to support and care for them, assuring them that their loved ones’ sacrifices will never be forgotten,” he said.

Egbetokun noted that prior to yesterday’s event, the police had presented cheques totalling nine billion, eight hundred and fifty one million, eight hundred and forty seven thousand, eight hundred and eighty nine Naira, eighty eight Kobo (9,851,847,889.88), to 3,077 families and next-of-kin of departed colleagues at six separate presentation ceremonies between July 2023 and June 2024.

He said: “With this seventh presentation, we have presented cheques amounting to fifteen billion, six hundred and six million, one hundred and thirty eight thousand, three hundred and seventy six Naira, twenty six kobo (N15,606,138,376.26k), to 5,225 family members and next of kin of deceased officers”.