The Nigeria Police Force has disbursed a total of N2,317,177,094 in insurance benefits to the families and beneficiaries of 2,971 police officers and men who died in active service, in a major welfare intervention aimed at addressing outstanding financial obligations to families of fallen personnel.
The payment covers several insurance policy years, including 2017–2018, 2018–2019, 2020–2021, 2021–2022, 2022–2023 and 2024–2025, under the Group Life Assurance, Group Personal Accident and IGP Family Welfare Schemes.
The development was announced during an official ceremony where the Force Insurance Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Lydia Ameh, said the presentation went beyond the distribution of cheques, describing it as the fulfilment of a responsibility owed to police officers who lost their lives in the service of the nation and to the families they left behind. Ameh said the occasion was also intended to honour the memories of the deceased personnel and demonstrate that the sacrifices made by officers in the line of duty would not be forgotten by the institution.
According to Ameh, each of the deceased officers represented at the ceremony was first a member of a family before becoming a member of the police institution. She noted that they were fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters who left their families to answer the call to national service. She said the officers wore the police uniform, took the oath of service and accepted the risks associated with protecting lives and property, adding that the payment of their legitimate insurance benefits was therefore an important part of the institution’s responsibility to those they left behind.
The Force Insurance Officer explained that the N2.317 billion being paid comprised benefits arising from different policy years and different insurance schemes applicable to police personnel. She disclosed that some of the payments represented claims that had remained outstanding for considerable periods, while others came from insurance companies that had continued to meet their obligations.
According to her, the recovery and payment of the outstanding claims reflected sustained efforts by the police leadership and the insurance unit to ensure that legitimate benefits due to families of deceased personnel were not lost because of administrative delays or unresolved insurance obligations.
Ameh said the Nigeria Police Force recognised that no amount of money could compensate families for the loss of their loved ones, particularly those who died while performing duties on behalf of the country. She, however, expressed the hope that the financial assistance would provide some relief to the beneficiaries and help them deal with some of the economic consequences of their loss. She urged the families receiving the benefits to utilise the funds wisely, especially in areas capable of producing sustainable benefits, including the education, welfare and future prospects of the children and other dependants left behind.
She further assured the beneficiaries that the police insurance unit would continue to strengthen the insurance system and improve the administration of claims. She said the unit would pursue outstanding obligations, improve the efficiency of claims processing and protect the interests of police personnel and their families. Ameh described insurance as a promise that families should not be abandoned when tragedy strikes, stressing that the Force would continue to work towards ensuring that this promise was honoured whenever an officer dies in the course of service.
In his address, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, said the payment was a practical demonstration of his administration’s commitment to police welfare. He maintained that welfare should not remain a statement contained in a policy document but must translate into tangible support for officers, men and their families. The IGP said an institution that expects its personnel to demonstrate courage, discipline, loyalty and sacrifice must equally demonstrate genuine commitment to their welfare, particularly when officers lose their lives while carrying out their responsibilities.
The police chief noted that officers and men of the Force operate in difficult and often dangerous circumstances across the country. He said they respond to emergencies when others are seeking safety, work through the night, weekends and public holidays, and in many cases spend considerable periods away from their families because of their professional responsibilities.
He said these realities made it necessary for the police administration to build a welfare system capable of assuring every officer that his or her sacrifice matters, their lives matter and, importantly, that the welfare of their families would remain an institutional priority.
The IGP also recalled the risks faced by police personnel in recent operations across the country, noting that the security environment remained highly challenging. He paid tribute to officers who had been killed in the line of duty, including personnel involved in operations against criminal elements and members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit who lost their lives in Zamfara State during a rescue mission. He said the Force mourned all its fallen officers and recognised that while the institution might honour their service, their families were the ones who continued to bear the greatest personal burden following their deaths.
He said the sacrifices of fallen personnel should serve as a reminder of the demands of policing and the risks officers accept to protect the lives and property of Nigerians. Addressing the beneficiaries directly, the IGP extended his sympathies and acknowledged that no financial benefit could replace the family members they had lost. He described the insurance payment as an expression of institutional responsibility and appreciation for the sacrifices made by their loved ones, while urging the beneficiaries to use the money responsibly for purposes that would improve their welfare and secure the future of their families.
The IGP also commended the four insurance partners involved in the various police insurance schemes for their cooperation in facilitating the payments, while urging them to continue to honour their obligations promptly. He stressed that insurance benefits should not be regarded merely as ordinary commercial claims because, for families that have lost their breadwinners, such payments could constitute a vital lifeline. He said timely settlement of legitimate claims had a direct impact on the welfare and stability of affected families and therefore urged insurance companies to work closely with the Force to reduce delays and ensure that beneficiaries receive their entitlements as quickly as possible.
As part of efforts to prevent future delays and improve awareness among personnel, the IGP disclosed that the Force Insurance Unit had intensified its sensitisation programme across police formations. He said that within the preceding two months, the unit had visited six commands and more than 50 divisions and formations, educating personnel about their insurance benefits, claims procedures and applicable deadlines. He said the programme was also designed to ensure that officers and their families understood the steps required to access insurance benefits, thereby reducing the possibility of legitimate claims being delayed because beneficiaries were unaware of the relevant processes.
The IGP urged serving officers and men to draw strength and inspiration from the courage of colleagues who had died in the course of service, calling on them to deepen their commitment to the oath they had taken and continue to serve Nigeria with professionalism, integrity and dedication. He assured families of fallen officers that the police institution would not abandon them, declaring that the Force would remain their institution and their family. He also expressed appreciation to the President and Commander-in-Chief for approving requests that facilitated the payment of the benefits, before praying for the eternal rest of the departed officers and for strength and comfort for their families.
The presentation of the N2.317 billion insurance benefits to 2,971 beneficiariestherefore represents both a financial intervention and a statement of institutional responsibility by the Nigeria Police Force. While the payment cannot undo the loss suffered by the families, the police authorities said it was intended to provide practical support and ensure that the dependants of officers who paid the supreme price in service do not face their future without assistance from the institution their loved ones served.
The Force has also pledged to continue pursuing outstanding claims, improving insurance administration and strengthening personnel welfare so that the families of fallen officers receive the benefits due to them without unnecessary delays.
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