The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali, has presented N26 million to families of seven police officers who lost their lives in active service in Delta State.
The police spokesperson in the state, Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
He said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Muhammed Ali, presented the cheques to the families on behalf of the IGP at the State Headquarters of the police in Asaba on Thursday.
Edafe, a deputy superintendent of police, said the gesture was part of the IGP’s insurance welfare scheme.
Ali lauded the IGP for the gesture, saying the money “will in no small way, act as a boost to the families and also to let them know that though their loved ones are no more, the force did not forget their sacrifices.”
The families appreciated the IGP for the gesture and pledged to make “judicious” use of the money.
Police officers and officials of other security agencies have been the target of deadly attacks mainly in the South-east and South-south by gunmen who are alleged to be part of Biafra agitation in the two regions.
The Indigenous People of Biafra, a group leading the agitation for the creation of an independent state of Biafra from the South-east and some parts of South-south, has been accused of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the two regions. But the group has repeatedly denied involvement in the attacks.
Edafe said the police also used the occasion to decorate some newly promoted officers in the state.
The promoted officers include the Divisional Police Officer of Asaba Central Police Station, Temitope Fasugba, the officer in-charge of Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Emmanuel Yakubu, and the Divisional Police Officer of Abbi Central Police Station, Mu’azu Mohammed.
They were all promoted to the rank of assistant commissioners of police.
Also promoted were the Financial Officer of police in the state, Ogungbagbe Opeyemi, the Commander, Crack squad Unit of the police in the state, John Agaga, and four unnamed others – all promoted to the rank of chief superintendents of police.
Ali, the police commissioner in the state, advised the promoted officers to put more effort in carrying out their responsibilities.
Fasugba, who spoke on behalf of the promoted officers, promised never to disappoint the IGP in the discharge of their duties.
