The Benue State government has announced a donation of N380 million to the families of security officers who paid the supreme price in the course of duty in Benue State.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, who announced this at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Makurdi, on Saturday, while playing host to Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Benue State chapter, explained that families of each of the seventy-six officers that died will receive five million.
The governor stated that the Government of Benue State will grant plots of land and scholarship, as well as start-up kits to spouses of the fallen heroes, even if they decide to stay or leave the shores of Benue State.
“No uniformed man in Benue State is our enemy. Police are not bad, soldiers are not bad. If one egg amongst us is bad, let us fish out such an egg”, the governor stated.
He said the military, whose primary responsibility is to man our territorial borders, is in some cases deployed to local Government areas, and warned against remarks on the social media platform calling on soldiers to leave part of Benue State.
The governor stated that the social media platform is a powerful tool that can build but also destroy within minutes, urging people with disagreements to be cautious in offering a positive solution rather than otherwise.
He pledged continuous support to POWA to ensure that their children go to school as and when due.
Director General of Homeland Security, Air Commodore Jacob Gbamwuam, retired in his welcome remarks, said over 76 officers lost their lives from 2024/2025 in Benue State in the course of duty.
He said it is such a number that prompted Governor Alia to honour them, listing the beneficiaries to include the police, soldiers, Civil Protection Guards, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, among others.
He commended Governor Hyacinth Alia for the gesture of caring for the families of those left behind.
In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police, Benue State Police Command, CP Ifeanyi Enemari, who spoke on behalf of other security forces, expressed appreciation to Governor Alia, saying the gesture brings succour to the families of affected officers and an encouragement to serving officers.
He praised the governor for the initiative, saying he does not joke with the welfare of officers in the state, as seen in the provision of working tools for various forces to tackle criminality.
According to CP Enemari, the governor is at the forefront of driving the forces on achieving a crime-free society, promising not to relent so as not to give any room for bandits and other criminals to operate in the state.
On her part, the State Chairperson of Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Mrs Ujunwa Enemari, appreciated the support the government of Benue State is giving the security forces and their wives over time.
She said widows are left without jobs and are in distress, following the demise of their husbands in line of duty and called for extension of such a gesture to other needy individuals in the society.
