The Nigeria Police authorities have come under heavy criticism over its recent presentation of N59,186,177.62 to 38 families of police officers in Anambra State, who lost their lives in active service, under the Inspector-General of Police’s Group Life Insurance/Family Welfare Scheme.
A rights group, the Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS), which criticized the police hierarchy for the disposition, said it falls short of expectations on the benefits that should accrue to police operatives who die in active service.
The bereaved families were presented with the cheques for the sum last week at the Anambra State Police Command, Awka, during which the State Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu described the gesture as a demonstration of the Force leadership’s commitment to the welfare of personnel and their families, stressing that the sacrifices of the gallant officers will never be forgotten.
A breakdown of the sum showed that each family received money averaging about N1.55 million as compensation for their departed breadwinners.
The Executive Director of CEHRAWS, Chuka Okoye, while commending the IGP and the State Commissioner of Police for extending this welfare gesture, said the group, as advocates of social justice and rule of law, feels it is imperative to interrogate its adequacy and alignment with extant legal standards.
According to him, the money is very poor compared to the magnitude of loss suffered.
Okoye cited Section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian constitution, 1999 (as amended), which declares that ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government,’ which he said, imposes a duty on the state not only to protect citizens, but equally to protect those who serve in enforcing law and order.
“Furthermore, section 4(5) of the Police Act, 2020, recognizes the welfare of police officers and their dependents as a statutory obligation of the Nigeria Police Force. The Pension Reform Act, 2014, also mandates contributory pension and group life insurance coverage for employees of the public service, which includes the police. In fact, section 4(5) of the Pension Reform Act provides that where an employee dies in active service, the group life insurance shall be “not less than three times the annual total emolument of the deceased.
“When juxtaposed with this provision, an average payout of ₦1.55 million to families of officers who sacrificed their lives does not meet the threshold of justice or the statutory mandate envisaged under Nigerian law,” he said.
The CEHRAWS boss expressed concerns that with the rising cost of living, high dependency burdens, and the lifetime loss of income occasioned by the death of these officers, ₦1.55 million per family is little more than a funeral token.
Such an amount, he noted, cannot guarantee education for the children, healthcare for dependents, or a stable livelihood for widows and orphans left behind.
He said, “Tokenism in welfare provision risks reducing gallant sacrifice to mere charity. It erodes public confidence in state institutions and undermines the morale of serving officers who, daily, risk their lives in volatile and insurgency-prone areas.”
To honour the sacrifices of fallen officers, the CEHRAWS boss recommended the full enforcement of the Pension Reform Act (2014), which stipulates that families should receive nothing less than the three-times-annual-emolument guarantee mandated by law.
He also recommended the introduction of an Institutionalized Compensation Scheme for the operatives, legislative oversight, transparency and accountability in the disbursement of benefits, and human rights compliance.
