The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu has vowed that the Nigeria Police Force will not be intimidated or relent in the fight against banditry and other violent crimes, declaring that the sacrifices of police officers who paid the supreme price in the line of duty would not be in vain.
Disu made the declaration on Monday, August 24, 2026, at a memorial parade held at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, in honour of 10 fallen police officers of the Special Intervention Squad.
The memorial parade provided an opportunity for the Nigeria Police Force and the nation to honour the deceased officers, recognise their service and sacrifice, and remember their contributions to the protection of lives and property.
The fallen officers honoured at the parade include Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Bala Buba, who was born on August 2, 1981, and enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on December 1, 2003.
Others are Inspector (INSPR) Stephen Simon, born on October 7, 1983, and enlisted on September 1, 2003; Inspector Awwal Sanni, born on July 26, 1986, and enlisted on November 1, 2008; and Inspector Ayuba Hassan, born on August 29, 1986, and enlisted on October 17, 2011.
The list also includes Inspector Magaji Abdullahi, born on April 12, 1983, and enlisted on October 17, 2011; Inspector Solomon Jatau, born on September 1, 1988, and enlisted on October 17, 2011; and Inspector Yahuza Umar, born on October 24, 1986, who enlisted on October 17, 2011.
Sergeant (SGT) Momjimoh Hamza, born on December 12, 1992, enlisted into the Force on December 31, 2016, while Corporal (CPL) Ukpong Otuek ong, born on October 2, 2000, enlisted on October 28, 2019.
The tenth officer is Corporal Adam Abdulhakeem, born on April 2, 1999, who enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on July 23, 2022.
The IGP said the officers represented the thousands of men and women of the Nigeria Police Force who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities.
He described their service as a reminder of the risks police personnel routinely face while protecting Nigerians and maintaining peace across the country.
The memorial came against the backdrop of the August 10, 2026 encounter in Kebbi State, where 10 police personnel of the Special Intervention Squad were killed during a fierce confrontation with suspected bandits along the Rafin Makuku axis of Sakaba Local Government Area.
According to IGP Disu, the police personnel had intercepted a heavily armed group of suspected bandits moving between Zamfara and Kebbi States, resulting in a fierce engagement.
He said the officers fought with courage and determination in defence of the people and national security, although 10 personnel lost their lives while two others sustained injuries. Two civilians also died during the encounter.
Despite the casualties suffered by the Force, the operation inflicted significant losses on the attackers, with at least 17 suspected bandits neutralised and four motorcycles belonging to the criminal elements destroyed.
“These gallant officers died doing what they swore an oath to do, to serve, to protect, and to defend lives and property,” Disu said.
He said their sacrifice demonstrated the dangers police officers face daily in the discharge of their duties, noting that personnel across the country continue to put their lives on the line to provide security for millions of Nigerians.
“Their sacrifice reminds us 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,” the IGP said.
Disu noted that the loss of a police officer was not limited to the Force, as every fallen officer leaves behind a family that must cope with the loss of a husband, father, son, brother or loved one.
He therefore extended his deepest condolences to the families of the fallen officers, assuring them that the Nigeria Police Force would continue to stand with them.
“To the families of our fallen heroes, I extend, on behalf of the Nigeria Police Force, my deepest condolences. We grieve with you, we stand with you, and we will not abandon you,” he said.
The IGP further urged Nigerians to remember the fallen officers with pride and gratitude, stressing that their service should serve as a reminder of the personal sacrifices made by security personnel in the interest of national safety.
“To the Nigerian people, I urge you to remember these ten officers and the thousands of police personnel who continue to make similar sacrifices across the country,” Disu said.
According to him, the security of the nation comes at a significant cost, often borne by officers who willingly place themselves in harm’s way so that others can live in safety.
Disu assured Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force remained resolute in the discharge of its constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property, adding that the Force would continue to work closely with the Armed Forces, sister security agencies, state governments and local communities.
He said the collaboration was necessary to confront banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and other forms of violent criminality threatening the peace and stability of the country.
“We shall not be intimidated, we shall not relent, and we shall not allow the sacrifices of our fallen heroes to be in vain,” the IGP declared.
He vowed that the Force would continue to pursue criminal elements, disrupt their networks and bring those responsible for attacks on police personnel and innocent citizens to justice.
“We will continue to pursue these criminal elements, disrupt their activities and bring those responsible for attacks on our personnel and innocent citizens to justice,” Disu said.
The IGP said the memorial parade was therefore not merely an occasion for mourning but also a moment for the Force to renew its commitment to the protection of Nigerians and to draw strength from the courage displayed by its fallen personnel.
“As we honour our fallen colleagues today, let us remember them with pride, gratitude and renewed determination to build a safer Nigeria,” he said.
The memorial parade underscored the enduring cost of policing and the commitment of officers who have sacrificed their lives in service to Nigeria, with the IGP reaffirming that their contributions would remain an important part of the history and institutional memory of the Nigeria Police Force.
