Widows of soldiers lost died fighting Boko Haram ask for their husbands' entitlements

WIDOWS of soldiers who lost their lives during military clashes with Boko Haram terrorists have called on the wives of service chiefs to and the government to come to the aid by paying the salaries and allowances of their deceased husbands.

 

Since 2009 when the Nigerian Army has been involved in skirmishes with Boko Haram terrorists, there has been a high casualty rate, although the army high command is yet to reveal official figures. Most of the casualties have been from the Seventh Mechanised Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri in Borno State.

 

Despite these soldiers paying the supreme sacrifice, their Nigerian Army is yet to pay their widows and dependents their entitlements. Over the weekend, the widows of some of these soldiers told the Defence and Police Officers Wives Association (Depowa), the body representing the spouses of service chiefs, to come to their aid.

 

Depowa officials paid a condolence visit to the widows in Maiduguri and were told that some of their children have not been going to schools since the introduction of Bank Verification Number by the Central Bank of Nigeria, which prevented most of them from accessing their husbands' bank accounts. While appreciating the visit, they further urged the government to create skills acquisition training for them and provide jobs for those that have educational qualifications like secondary and tertiary school certificates.

 

Responding on behalf of the wives of service chiefs, the Depowa president Omobolanle Olanisakin sympathised with the women and consoled them over the loss of their husbands who died in active service. While praying for the souls of the departed soldiers, Mrs Olanisakin assured the widows that all their complaints will be channelled to the appropriate quarters for possible and immediate solutions.

 

"We cannot fold our arms to allow such a situation to continue to happen to you. We are all mothers and women and we know very well what is means a woman to be left with children without husband and care or support.

 

"We are with you and we will continue to be with you. Already we brought here with us some relief materials for you and more will be provided for you," She added.

 

According to Mrs Olonisakin, Already, Depowa has started training some widows at its Skills Acquisition Scheme Centre, Abuja. She told the widows that more of them will be included in the training programme in order to make them self-reliant and have something doing to sustain themselves and their children.

 

Hadjia Ummu Buratai, the wife of chief of army staff, said their visit is an indication of their love and care for the widows and prayed assuring them that Depowa would continue to visit and interact with them. Other members of the delegation included the wife of the chief of air staff, Hafsat Abubakar, the wife of the chief of naval staff Therisa Ebas and wife of inspector general of police, Agarase Arase.