In a solemn ceremony heavy with emotion, grief, and unyielding national pride, the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) gathered on Monday at the Force headquarters to pay their last respects to ten fallen officers who laid down their lives during a bloody confrontation with terror gang members along the Mahuta-Kuku axis of Sakaba Local Government Area, Kebbi State.

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The incident, which occurred on Monday, August 10, this year, saw a tactical police team intercept a heavily armed group of suspected bandits attempting a strategic transit towards Zamfara and Kebbi states.

Although the encounter resulted in the supreme sacrifice of ten gallant personnel and injuries to two others, the police team fiercely repelled the attack, killed at least 17 bandits, destroyed four operational motorcycles belonging to the criminals, and forced the gang to scatter into surrounding forests, where dozens more corpses were subsequently recovered.

Two civilians also tragically lost their lives during the crossfire.

Addressing senior officers, grief-stricken family members, and reporters, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tunji Disu described the fallen men as “some of the best officers we have around,” revealing a deep personal connection to the deceased unit.

“I know those who died personally. These are officers of great courage who will never move a step back; they will continue to move forward until they achieve their aims. They have fought side by side with me in an anti-banditry clearance operation in Kwara State. It is something of great sorrow deep down, but we give thanks to Almighty God for the kind of life they have lived,” IGP Disu stated.

Refusing to let the ultimate sacrifice of the officers be in vain, the Police rolled out a series of welfare packages aimed at securing the financial and economic future of the bereaved families.

The Disu revealed that President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate release and disbursement of backlogged death benefits owed to families of deceased officers across the nation, ensuring that the relatives of the Sakaba heroes receive their due entitlements without administrative delay.

In a landmark relief measure, IGP further announced that all applications submitted by eligible family members of the deceased officers seeking recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force have received full, immediate approval.

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“We are not going to ever leave them behind. A backlog of money that was supposed to have been paid for deceased police officers for some time now has just been paid by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, so we have something to do for members of the deceased families. Furthermore, all the families who have applied to join the police previously, every single list given to us have been approved,” the Police Chief declared.

The ten officers who paid the ultimate price while defending the territorial integrity and citizens of Nigeria include: AP No. 358380 Inspector Awal Sani, AP No. 376993 Inspector Jatau Solomon, AP No. 376692 Inspector Magaji Abdullahi, AP No. 260162 Inspector Stephen Simon, Force No. 500077 Sergeant Yahuza Umar.

Others are: Force No. 541474 Sergeant Momo Jimoh Hamza, Force No. 524419 Corporal Ukpong Otuekong, Force No. 583955 Corporal Adam Abdulkarim, ASP Bala Buba and Insp. Ayuba Hassan.

Reflecting on the reality men in uniform face daily, IGP Disu noted that behind every operational statistic lies a profound human story of loss and sacrifice.

He said, “These gallant officers died doing what they swore an oath to do: to serve, to protect, and to defend lives and property. Their sacrifice reminds us all that every day, police officers across Nigeria put themselves in harm’s way so that millions of Nigerians can live, work, and sleep with a measure of safety and peace.

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Behind every fallen officer is a family that has lost a husband, father, son, brother, and loved one. To the families of our fallen heroes, I extend my deepest condolences. We grieve with you, we stand with you, and we will not abandon you.” (The Nation)