The Nigeria Police Force on Monday held a memorial service at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, in honour of 10 officers of the Special Intervention Squad (SIS) who were killed in the line of duty during an encounter with suspected bandits in Kebbi State.
The officers lost their lives on August 10 during an operation along the Rafin Makuku axis of Sakaba Local Government Area, where Police personnel engaged a heavily armed group of suspected bandits operating between Zamfara and Kebbi states.
Senior Police officers, colleagues and relatives of the deceased gathered at the memorial service to honour the fallen personnel and pay tribute to their courage, dedication and ultimate sacrifice in the service of the nation.
The service featured prayers for the departed officers and their families, with tributes highlighting the risks routinely faced by personnel engaged in frontline operations against violent criminal groups.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, described the officers as gallant personnel who paid the supreme price while protecting lives and property.
He expressed the condolences of the Nigeria Police Force to the bereaved families and assured them that the Force would continue to support them, stressing that the sacrifices of their loved ones would not be forgotten.
The IGP said the Police would not be intimidated by the loss of its personnel or relent in the fight against banditry, terrorism and other forms of violent criminality.
He vowed that the Force would continue efforts to identify, pursue and bring to justice those responsible for attacks on police personnel and innocent citizens, adding that the sacrifice of the fallen officers would strengthen rather than diminish the resolve of the Force.
Also speaking, the Commander of the Special Intervention Squad, CP Abayomi Shogunle, disclosed that subsequent operational assessments indicated that the losses inflicted on the attackers during the encounter were significantly higher than the initial assessment.
Shogunle urged personnel of the SIS not to allow the loss of their colleagues to weaken their morale, but to draw strength from their courage and continue the fight against violent criminal elements.
Representing the bereaved families, Grace Bala Buba, daughter of one of the fallen officers, expressed appreciation to the Nigeria Police Force for honouring the deceased and for the support provided to their families.
The memorial service provided an opportunity for the Force and the families of the deceased to remember the officers not only for the circumstances of their deaths, but for the lives they lived and the responsibility they accepted in choosing to serve.
In his final tribute, the IGP urged police personnel to remember their fallen colleagues with pride and gratitude, drawing renewed determination from their sacrifice.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to sustaining operations against banditry, terrorism and other violent crimes, while strengthening collaboration with relevant stakeholders and pursuing those responsible for attacks on security personnel and civilians.
For the families of the 10 officers, the loss remains deeply personal. For the Nigeria Police Force, their sacrifice has become another solemn reminder of the price paid by those who stand between criminal violence and the communities they are sworn to protect.