By Ayodele Oni
The Nigeria Police Force has assured Nigerians that the loss of its personnel will not weaken its resolve to confront violent criminal groups.
The force also vowed to bring to justice those responsible for the killing of 10 police officers during a gun battle with suspected bandits in Kebbi State.
The Inspector-General of Police, (IGP) Olatunji Rilwan Disu, gave the assurance on Monday at a memorial parade held at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, in honour of the fallen officers of the Special Intervention Squad.
The officers were killed on August 10, 2026, during an encounter with suspected bandits along the Rafin Makuku axis of Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
According to Disu, police personnel had intercepted a heavily armed group of suspected bandits moving between Zamfara and Kebbi states when the confrontation occurred.
Ten officers were killed in the ensuing gun battle, while two others sustained injuries. Two civilians also lost their lives.
The IGP said the police, however, inflicted significant casualties on the attackers, with at least 17 suspected bandits neutralised and four motorcycles belonging to the group destroyed.
Disu described the deceased officers as gallant personnel who paid the supreme price while carrying out their constitutional duty to protect lives and property.
“These gallant officers died doing what they swore an oath to do — to serve, to protect, and to defend lives and property.”
He maintained that their sacrifice reflected the risks routinely undertaken by police officers across the country to ensure that Nigerians could live, work and sleep in relative safety.
The IGP acknowledged the pain suffered by the families of the deceased, noting that every fallen officer represented the loss of a husband, father, son, brother or loved one.
He assured the families that the Police Force would not abandon them and would continue to support them in honour of the sacrifice made by their relatives.
“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,” Disu added.
He also called on Nigerians to remember the 10 officers and thousands of other police personnel who continue to risk their lives in the line of duty.
According to him, the sacrifices of security personnel should remind Nigerians of the human cost of confronting banditry, terrorism and other forms of violent crime across the country.
Disu assured Nigerians that the police would remain committed to its constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property, stressing that the Force would strengthen collaboration with the Armed Forces, sister security agencies, state governments and communities.
He reiterate that the objective was to disrupt criminal networks and prevent them from threatening communities and innocent citizens.
The IGP vowed that the loss of the 10 officers would not deter the police from confronting the criminals responsible for attacks on security personnel.
“We shall not be intimidated, we shall not relent, and we shall not allow the sacrifices of our fallen heroes to be in vain.”
Disu added that the police would continue to pursue criminal elements, disrupt their activities and ensure that those responsible for attacks on police personnel and civilians were brought to justice.
The memorial parade, he said, was not only an occasion to mourn the fallen officers but also an oppoIGP rtunity to renew the Force’s determination to strengthen security across the country.
He urged police officers to remain resolute in the discharge of their duties and called on Nigerians to support security agencies in the fight against violent crime.
Disu said building a safer Nigeria required sustained cooperation among security agencies, government institutions and communities, particularly in areas affected by banditry and other forms of insecurity.
He prayed for the peaceful repose of the 10 officers and for God to grant their families the strength to endure the loss.
The IGP reiterated that the Police Force would continue its operations against bandits and other criminal groups until they were brought under control, stressing that the sacrifices of fallen officers would remain a source of renewed determination for the Force.
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