By Tony Okafor | Awka
In a solemn and emotional ceremony held Friday, June 27, 2025, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu , led a stirring tribute to 13 gallant officers who lost their lives in the line of duty — including an Inspector mistakenly gunned down by friendly fire at a checkpoint along the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway.
The highpoint of the event, held at the CP’s Conference Hall in Awka during the Command’s monthly security briefing, was the presentation of Group Life Assurance and IGP Family Welfare Scheme cheques totalling over ₦8 million to the grieving families.
The cheques, a combined initiative of the Inspector-General of Police, are designed to provide critical support to families of personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice for national security.
“It is our way of ensuring their deaths are not in vain and their families are not forgotten,” CP Orutugu declared.
He urged the beneficiaries to invest the funds wisely in ventures that can support their dependents.
“This is not just a payout — it’s a seed of hope. Make it count,” he advised the bereaved.
The CP also used the opportunity to review security across Anambra with Area Commanders and DPOs, charting new strategies to combat emerging threats.
Stakeholders, including insurance and pension experts, delivered lectures on welfare enhancements and housing schemes for officers.
In his closing remarks, CP Orutugu reassured Ndi Anambra of the Force’s unrelenting resolve to maintain peace and security: “We will not rest until our streets are safe and our people sleep with both eyes closed.”
The event not only highlighted the dangers officers face daily but also the Police Force’s renewed commitment to supporting its own and safeguarding the public.
