A Tribute to Sacrifice, Unyielding Stand Against Terror – THISDAYLIVE

The last watch of 17 Police Mobile Force (PMF) officers came to an abrupt and violent end in the early hours of May 8, 2026, when terrorists struck the Nigerian Army Special Forces School in Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State. They had gone there to serve, to protect, and to hold a line that most Nigerians will never see. They paid for it with their lives. Eleven days later, on May 19, 2026, the Force Headquarters, Abuja, held a memorial parade — the first of its kind — to honour these fallen heroes as a tribute as heavy as the sacrifice it sought to honour. Led by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, the solemn ceremony brought together officers, families, and colleagues not just to grieve, to remember, but to reaffirm that the Nigeria Police Force would not waver in the face of terror. Chiemelie Ezeobi reports

On the morning of May 19, 2026, the Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters, Abuja, fell into the intermittent silence that only grief can produce as officers, led by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, stood at attention in honour of the 17 fallen Police Mobile Force (PMF) officers, members of the elite paramilitary wing of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

Eleven days earlier, their watch came to an end on May 8, 2026, when terrorists struck the Nigerian Army Special Forces School in Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State. When the smoke cleared, 17 officers were dead.

While the North-East of Nigeria has long been a theatre of war that most Nigerians only encounter through headlines, for the men and women of the Police Mobile Force, it is not a headline but a reality that involves constant deployment and presence.

As it were, the Nigeria Police Force maintains hundreds of PMF personnel in the region, deployed in joint operations with the military and other security agencies, pushing back against insurgents who have terrorised communities for over a decade. With this responsibility comes sacrifice, as was witnessed in the deaths of the 17 officers.

Roll Call of the 17 Heroes

They came from across Nigeria. From Yenagoa to Asaba, from Lagos to Gusau, from Port Harcourt to Kubwa. Corporal Moses Rabi of 30 PMF Yenagoa. Inspector Sunday Ali of 43 PMF, Lion Building, Lagos. Inspector Sunday Martins and Sergeant Maxwell Etim, both from MOPOL 56 Oconi in Port Harcourt. Inspector Nwana Edem of 39 PMF Osogbo. Inspector Sardalina Eliot of 21 PMF Asaba. Inspector Hazuna Audu of 22 PMF Lagos. Inspector Simon Kopbal of 54 PMF Onitsha. Inspector Hussaini Mohammed of 50 PMF Kubwa. Corporal Muhammed Shuaibu of 42 PMF Gusau. Inspector Edim Gabriel. Inspector Kingsley Ekpe. Corporal Maina Izallimar. The late Idi Haruna. And others whose faces now live only on banners and in the memories of those who loved them.

Prayer and Solemn Assembly

Understanding the weight of this sacrifice, IGP Disu thoughtfully organised a memorial parade themed “Prayer & Solemn Assembly for Fallen Colleagues.”

The first of its kind, the IGP, while acknowledging the sacrifice, said that though it tested the very soul of the Force, it also revealed the unbreakable character of the police in carrying out their constitutional responsibility of protecting citizens.

In his speech, he said: “We gather with heavy hearts but with immense pride to honour seventeen gallant officers of the Police Mobile Force who paid the supreme price in service to our dear nation.

“These brave men died while standing in defence of Nigeria, her people, and our collective peace and security. Their sacrifice represents the highest form of patriotism and duty.”

“The Nigeria Police Force, particularly the Police Mobile Force, continues to maintain hundreds of personnel across the North-East region in joint operations with the Armed Forces and other security agencies, confronting terrorism and violent extremism daily.

“Our officers continue to put their lives on the line, often under extremely difficult conditions, so that every Nigerian family can sleep at night with a measure of safety and peace.”

Behind Every Uniform, a Family

While most Nigerians might count the deaths in an abstract manner, for the families left behind, every number in a death toll is a life that mattered beyond the uniform.

This truth was acknowledged by IGP Disu when he said: “We want every Nigerian to feel, and to know in their hearts, that there are men and women in uniform who wake up every morning with one purpose: to serve, to protect, and, if called upon, to give everything. Behind every fallen officer is a family left behind, a future cut short, and a nation that owes them an immeasurable debt of gratitude.”

To the grieving families, he made a solemn promise on behalf of the institution that: “Their sacrifices will never be forgotten, and we solemnly pledge that their deaths will not be in vain. The Nigeria Police Force will not waver. We will continue to show up, to stand firm, and to give our very best in service to this great nation.

“To the families of our fallen heroes, the Nigeria Police Force stands with you in this painful moment. We share in your grief, and we remain committed to walking this difficult road alongside you.”

A Nation’s Gratitude, Pledge

Beyond mourning the dead, Nigeria owes them more than a banner. It owes them memory, honour, and an unyielding commitment that their deaths will mean something — that the peace they died to protect will be worth the price they paid.

And as operations continue across Nigeria’s security landscape, one reality remains clear: the path to peace is being carved not only through tactical victories, but through courage, resilience, and the enduring commitment of officers who continue to stand watch, often at great personal cost.