Benue State has been thrown into mourning as Governor Hyacinth Alia confirmed that 76 security personnel lost their lives within the past year while defending the state against criminal attacks.
The governor made the disclosure in Makurdi on Friday during a solemn meeting with families of the deceased. The victims included officers from the Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the military, the Benue State Civil Protection Guards, and the Operation Zenda joint security team.
Governor Alia described the fallen officers as “heroes who paid the supreme price to protect the people of Benue.” He announced a cash donation of N5 million to each bereaved family and assured continued assistance to widows and children left behind.
“We appreciate the sacrifice made by these fallen heroes to defend the territory of the state and ensure that the citizenry lives in peace. Their memories will continue to be a blessing,” the governor said.
He further praised the First Lady, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of Defence Staff, and other Service Chiefs for their role in supporting security interventions across the state.
Air Commodore Jacob Gbamwuan (retd.), Director General of the Benue State Bureau of Homeland Security, reaffirmed the governor’s words, describing the personnel as “heroes whose sacrifices cannot be forgotten.”
Similarly, Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, hailed the state government’s gesture as “spectacular and unprecedented.” He stressed that it would boost the morale of serving officers and comfort grieving families.
Emenari added that security agencies would not relent in their fight against criminals, warning: “It is not over until peace fully returns to Benue State.”
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