No fewer than 76 security personnel lost their lives in Benue State in the course of discharging their duties in the last year.

Governor Hyacinth Alia, who made this known while receiving families of the deceased security personnel in Makurdi, assured that their sacrifices would not be in vain.

The governor doled out N5 million to each of the families of the deceased personnel made up of the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, military, the Benue State Civil Protection Guards and the Operation Zenda joint security team.

Governor Alia, who acknowledged the selfless sacrifice rendered by the deceased security personnel, said they paid the supreme price to ensure peace in the state.

The governor appreciated President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Service Chiefs for their concerted efforts to ensure that peace returned to the State.

He said, “We appreciate the sacrifice made by these fallen heroes to defend the territory of the state and ensure that the citizenry lives in peace.

“It is a heavy burden but we will continue this journey with you. Their memories will continue to be a blessing to us and our state. I sat and saw a mother breastfeeding her baby that means the child did not know its father because he paid the supreme price.

“We will continue to support their widows and you will be visited from time to time. We will ensure your children continue their education through scholarships. We will not leave anyone behind. You will be on the State protocol list. I assure you that the lives your loved ones sacrificed would not be in vain because peace must return to the state.

“I also appreciate the First lady and the International Organisation for Migration, IOM, for their humongous support and I assure the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, that the committee set up is working to ensure fairness in the distribution of money given to the IDPs. We will not rest on our oars until they all return to their ancestral homes.”

Announcing financial support to families of the deceased security personnel, the governor said, “Each of the families will receive a cash donation of the sum of N5million. For those injured too, we will support them. Let us support these families. Be kind to them, be charitable to them. Share with them and visit them, work with them. Give human kindness and face to them.

“Our government will continue to synergise with security agencies in the state to ensure peace. Security agencies are not enemies of the state. They sacrifice a lot, especially their comfort, to give us comfort.”

Earlier, the Director General of the Benue State Bureau of Homeland Security, Air Commodore Jacob Gbamwuan (retd) disclosed that “76 security personnel lost their lives in the state between 2024 and 2025? stressing that they sacrificed their lives as heroes to ensure peace and sanity and cannot be forgotten.”

Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, described the Benue State Government’s gesture as ‘spectacular’ and ‘unprecedented’, noting that it would give succour to affected families and motivate security agencies in the state.

Emenari, who commended the governor for according priority attention to security in the state through consistent funding, said, “It is not over, until our desire for the State is achieved. We must double our efforts and ensure that criminals and hoodlums do not operate in the state.” (Vanguard)

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